Restaurants around nation join sanctuary movement to protect workers, customers
Numerous restaurants across the country have joined a聽聽to offer safe and tolerant spaces to restaurant workers, employers, and consumers that face hate and harassment in the restaurant industry.
As a collaborative project between the聽聽(ROC United) and聽, the Sanctuary Restaurant Movement seeks to not only create solidarity, but also to provide support and resources like job training and legal advice to individuals and their families impacted by hostile policies. 聽
鈥淲e are launching Sanctuary Restaurants because restaurant workers are on the front lines of discrimination and hate in America,鈥� says Saru Jayaraman, Co-founder and Co-director of ROC United in a Presente.org聽. 鈥漌hile the restaurant industry suffers from a labor shortage, anti-immigrant and sexist rhetoric is now commonplace. Sanctuary Restaurants seeks to create the world we want鈥攅stablishments free from hate and discrimination.鈥�
With a zero-tolerance policy for sexism, racism, and xenophobia, members of the Sanctuary Movement believe that there is a place at the table for all. According to the movement鈥檚聽, participating restaurants do not allow for the harassment of any individual based on nationality, refugee status, religion, race, gender, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation.
According to Matt Nelson, Executive Director of Presente.org, 鈥淭he Sanctuary Restaurant Movement will provide protections for targeted workers and elevate and celebrate restaurants that commit to resist the draconian, anti-immigration efforts of the incoming administration.鈥�
Participating restaurants display a 鈥淪anctuary Restaurant: A Place at the Table for Everyone鈥� placard on their premises and are able to connect with fellow members in sharing ideas and worker protection policies. All interested restaurants can join the movement by signing up聽.
鈥淚 hope that good businesses all over the country already do these things,鈥� shared Josh Kulp, co-owner of Honey Butter Fried Chicken, a Sanctuary Restaurant in Chicago, in an聽. 鈥淪ometimes it鈥檚 important to make it clear, especially in times when you feel that not everyone is on that same page.鈥�
So far, more than one hundred restaurants have joined the movement, spanning the nation from Maine to California. COLORS Restaurants, New York City鈥檚 Marlow & Sons, and San Francisco鈥檚 Coi are among those on the list.
For a list of Sanctuary Restaurants nationwide聽.
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