Introduction to the Issue
Dozens of concerned Asian American restaurant owners are hosting a fundraiser on Monday night in response to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids throughout the city, with the proceeds going toward immigrant rights groups.
The Impact of Immigration Raids
Dubbed “Operation Midway Blitz” by President Donald Trump, the ongoing immigration and deportation campaign has disrupted the city’s restaurant industry, organizers said. According to a new report from One Fair Wage, an organization that fights for wage equality for restaurant workers and minimum wage laborers, such campaigns have shrunk the labor force in the U.S. Many of the people who work in the restaurant industry are immigrants, making this event “a no-brainer,” said Ed Marszewski, the market’s organizer and founder of Marz Community Brewing Company in Bridgeport.
The Tiger Moon Market
The sold-out Tiger Moon Market will take place at the Ramova Theatre, 3520 S. Halsted St., where guests can taste food and drink from more than 40 different chefs and mixologists in an open, night-market-style celebration of Asian American cuisine. Participating restaurants include Phodega, Kasama, Bayan Ko, Vietfive and Triple Crown.
Bayan Ko is one of the participating restaurants in Monday’s market.
The Importance of Immigrant Workers in the Restaurant Industry
For decades, data has shown that immigrants are the backbone of the culinary industry. In Illinois, nearly half of all restaurant workers in the state are foreign-born, according to the Illinois Restaurant Association. The U.S. workforce faces losing approximately 310,000 immigrant restaurant workers if deportations, both forced and voluntary, keep steady, the One Fair Wage report reads. The labor group estimates that if Chicago follows the national trend, the local workforce will have lost nearly 2,300 immigrant restaurant workers between March and July of this year.
Fundraising Efforts
The proceeds from Tiger Moon Market will go to local organizations, such as the National Immigrant Justice Center and the American Civil Liberties Union. Just in ticket sales alone, Marszewski and his partners said they have raised more than $100,000 for these groups.
VietFive Coffee is one of the restaurants participating in Tiger Moon Market.
The Ramova Theatre
The market came after a roundtable discussion held by one of the participating restaurants about the state of the food and beverage industry, Marszewski said. Within 72 hours, Marszewski had sorted out all of the details for the night market. And all of the stars aligned when Marszewski remembered that Tyler Nevius, who owns the Ramova with his wife, Emily, had previously offered to host an event in response to current events. Nevius graciously waived the venue’s rental fee for the night, Marzewski said.
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