Thank you to all who could join us for this candid discussion!
Below you will find our August 11th Zoom seminar in its entirety; Andy addressed issues of diversity and inclusivity in the workplace as we endeavored to expand our own awareness of the many ways in which bias seeks to undermine the hospitality industry.
ABOUT THE SEMINAR
Recently, a spotlight has been cast upon issues of equality and the accepted status quo in all facets of society including the hospitality sector, whose very etymology lies in “the friendly and generous reception of guests and strangers.” Built into the fabric of our public meeting spaces is the rare potential to bring people together and this experience is shaped by the attitudes and practices of ownership and management that then reach outwards to every employee and guest. The human default is to gravitate to where we feel comfortable, and based on an establishment’s choices—both conscious and unconscious—a community is created. Currently, as bars, restaurants, and retail stores restructure their business models or practices to remain in step with public health concerns, perhaps the time has never been better to ask meaningful questions about how to best nurture mindfully inclusive environments.
Skurnik was excited to take part in this continuing dialogue, and on Tuesday, August 11th, welcomed speaker, Anas “Andy” Shallal, founder and CEO of Washington D.C. restaurant group, Busboys and Poets. As a member of Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC U), Busboys and Poets focuses on sustainable business and employment practices. Shallal has given TEDx Talks on Bridging Race and Culture, and regularly hosts employee trainings featuring frank discussions on race and bias. Shallal serves on the board of trustees for the Institute for Policy Studies, Race Forward, the Anacostia Coordinating Council and is a founding member of Think Local First DC. He has also received many honors including Employer of the Year from the Employment Justice Center, the Mayor’s Environmental Award, and Washingtonian of the Year (Washingtonian Magazine). Most recently Shallal joined the ReOpen DC Committee, a COVID-19 advisory board for recommendations on safe opening strategies for restaurateurs.
If you have interest in learning more about our guest speaker or diving further in to the subject at hand, here are some helpful links:
GET TO KNOW ANDY:
- Busboys and Poets
- What Starbucks could learn from this Washington restaurateur about race at work Washington Post
- Andy Shallal on creating an inclusive dining experience Splendid Table
- Busboys and Poets owner Andy Shallal makes unconventional bid for D.C. mayor Washington Post
- Coding and Decoding Dinner Oxford American
- Bridging Race and Culture TEDx Talks
SUGGESTED ANTI-RACISM RESOURCES
Books:
- Stay Woke Tehama Lopez Bunyasi
- Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome Dr. Joy DeGruy
- The New Jim Crow Michelle Alexander
- Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? Beverly Daniel Tatum
- White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism Robin DiAngelo
Listens:
- 1619 Podcast NY Times
- Code Switch NPR
- Come Through with Rebecca Carroll WNYC Studios
- Throughline NPR
Racial Equity Tools:
- Daily Actions to Dismantle White Supremacy Anti-Racism Daily
- Dismantling Racism Project Western States Center
- Adding Racial Equity to the Menu: An Equity Toolkit for Restaurant Employers Race Forward
