Benjamin Miller and Cristina Martinez (pictured above) run South Philly Barbacoa, a little taco place whose amazing barbacoa led us to name it the #6 best new restaurant in America this year.
On election night, my wife and I fell asleep before the final results came in. We'd been working at our restaurant, South Philly Barbacoa, since early that morning.
The next day, we were shocked and devastated that our country had elected Donald J. Trump to be the next president of the United States. We are well aware of the serious consequences this brings for undocumented folks who work in our country's restaurants and farms.
My wife, Cristina, is an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, and I am a white male, raised in the suburbs of Pennsylvania. We met six years ago working together in an Italian restaurant and fell in love. We started South Philly Barbacoa in our apartment in 2013 and finally opened in an actual retail space, where Cristina cooks traditional Mexican barbacoa: lamb tacos, pancita tacos, and consommé. Together we’ve built a successful restaurant, despite Cristina's status as an undocumented immigrant. Our story has allowed us to become organizers, and we started a series of dinners called #Right2Work as a way to advocate that working is a human right, regardless of immigration status.
On November 9, we ate our breakfast quietly, feeling the tension throughout our city on this dreary day. Trump had bullied and intimidated his way to the most honored position in our country. How would this affect our restaurant, our friends in the industry, and our community? Would he follow through on deporting all undocumented immigrants like Cristina? To take him at his word, we must prepare for that.
As restaurant owners and organizers, our job is now more important than ever. Restaurants are gathering places for people, to meet, talk, and enjoy food, to nourish their bodies and spirits. It's in our hands to create safe, welcoming spaces and to use our restaurants as a platform for our social ideals.
The #Right2Work dinners have become a venue to openly discuss the contributions undocumented workers make to our industry. Immigrants—as well as chefs, activists, restaurant owners, servers, and lawyers—take center stage at these dinners, engaging and educating diners about the realities undocumented people face living and working here. We know immigrants who work two and three full time jobs, some who support family members to rise out of poverty, people who often do the hardest work without praise and acknowledgement.
I’ve seen how much hard work and sacrifice Cristina has put in to her barbacoa in Philly. She works longer and harder than I can even push myself to: 3 a.m. until 11 p.m., back-to-back-to-back, with catering events thrown in. Her reason for coming to this country in 2006 was to put her daughter Karla through nursing school in Mexico. Karla is now in grad school and managing a hospital, but they are unable to embrace each other, or share a meal at the same table, because Cristina can’t travel to Mexico without being stuck there, and Karla can’t get a tourist VISA. Even though Cristina and I are legally married, the law requires that she leave the country for 10 years before she is even eligible to apply for a green card. "I feel helpless, angry, and upset," Cristina said to me this morning.
It’s a common saying not to "mix business and politics," and so many restaurants are neutral on almost all issues. But as chefs and restaurant owners, we can no longer ignore the political nature of our work. We have an obligation to demonstrate what we believe in through our business and the management of our restaurants, and use our voice for those who don't have a voice in our democracy. Looking through social media accounts of chefs and restaurants, you’ll find seasonal menu changes, reviews, and food photos. But hardly any restaurants show images of the undocumented immigrants who sustain the very economy from which they profit. We need to use the visibility and cultural strength that the restaurant industry wields to fight for human rights.
And while neither party is perfect, Donald Trump is a much clearer adversary. After talking to people in communities of color this week, I found that people are scared, but they are also strong and resilient. This is a time for growth and expression of ourselves, standing with immigrant and other targeted communities, unabashedly and fearlessly.
Ben and Cristina's #Right2Work dinners are hitting the road, with upcoming events in New York City on May 1, Atlanta on September 1, San Francisco on November 22, D.C. on January 18 2018, and a general strike of restaurants and rally in Philly on May 1st, 2018. Join the newsletter by e-mailing right2workinvites@gmail.com