Katherine Spiers“As the products of hard-working Oaxacan immigrants, we will stand in solidarity with the entirety of the immigrant population of the U.S. We truly believe that all immigrants are the backbone of American history and will remain essential to the continuous growth and prosperity of our nation. Our father and mother came to this country to pursue the American Dream, and that dream should continue to live on in our community. To those who feel silenced we say: Don't be afraid, be strong.”
That was the message posted to Twitter by the owners of legendary Koreatown Oaxacan restaurant Guelaguetza, to announce their participation in Thursday's “A Day Without Immigrants,” a nationwide political action encouraging immigrants in the United States to refrain from working and shopping, in order to show how crucial they are to the nation's economy.
Guelaguetza co-owner Bricia Lopez; Credit: Kevin Scanlon
The movement gained national attention in the food world when Spanish chef Jose Andres, who is based in Washington, D.C., announced he would be closing his D.C. restaurants on Thursday in support of his staff and all restaurant staffs, who tend to be mostly immigrants, especially in the kitchen. Rick Bayless followed, closing his four Chicago restaurants for the day after his staff voted in support of the action.
Josef Centeno hydrating preshift at PYT, his latest restaurant in downtown Los Angeles; Credit: Natalie B. Compton
In Los Angeles, where few chefs have the nationwide celebrity stature of Andres or Bayless, local restaurateurs have taken to social media to announce their plans for the day. Orange County's Taco Maria, cheffed by rising star Carlos Salgado, said on Twitter “We chose to honor our reservations, and share with guests that today's profits will be donated to @ACLU.”
Last week, Immigration and Customs Enforcement , or ICE, arrested 680 people suspected of being undocumented immigrants, criminals, or both, and people in the vicinity of the targets. Today's action is in part a reaction to the ICE sweep.Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.