Ode to Cash Tips, Credit Card Slips & Covering Shifts

This is an ode to the countless people who serve and continue to pour from empty cups.

This is my whimsical and idealistic approach to a broken system. A system that saved me countless times.

Now that there is a shift in the future of restaurants, there are more and more conversations about restaurant reform and what should happen next to save the industry.

My concerns are not just for the “industry”, it's for the people who deserve better. This is an industry that has made billions of dollars, profiting off of the pure skills and talent of creative individuals — specifically black and brown people, who simply want to be able to do work that sustains them while enjoying the simple things in life and pursuing their passions.

It is incredibly difficult to experience this shift right now.

It leaves many of us mourning our former selves and scrambling to make the adjustments.

Our identities are on the line.

Being a creative in this industry has been an important part of my work, through my friendships and connections, and through serving, I’ve found a purpose and it's wild to consider that I could no longer aspire to do the things that I have planned to do.

As we all navigate this storm, it’s important to remember why we are here, and it's incredibly necessary that we all re-image a new way of life, and new experiences.

It is my vision to help improve our culture in this industry because that’s where it starts, creating these safe spaces to have conversations that will alter the future of how we work, live, and play.

Now is the time to change the perception of the work we do and the people we serve. It’s time to prioritize our health, wellness, and our purpose. We must take control of our skills, talents, and capabilities.

We must strive to build a community around educating, supporting, and empowering each other. We have to demand that we are treated with respect for our contributions to the culture, contributions that deserve better representation and better pay.

We must learn how to create opportunities for ourselves and hold each other accountable in a real and tangible way. We must continue to do the inner personal work, as well as, developing our professional self-worth.

This does not save the restaurants, it saves the people.

[ Written 8/1/2020 ]