#TooSmalltoFail

[phonemantra-blog]

The Environmental Media Association (EMA) Impact Summit concluded with a powerful and thought-provoking discussion led by Hillary Clinton. The former Secretary of State shared her insights on climate change, its impact on children, and her renewed interest in the number 34, a subtle reference to Donald Trump’s recent legal issues. Here’s a detailed look at the highlights from the summit. Hillary Clinton Jokes Clinton’s Commentary on Climate Change and Children A Focus on Youth and the Environment Hillary Clinton joined Gloria Calderón Kellett, showrunner, and Anna Jane Joyner, founder of Good Energy, at the Pendry West Hollywood to discuss the intersection of climate change and children’s development. Through her Clinton Foundation’s Too Small to Fail program, Clinton emphasized the importance of incorporating climate awareness into Hollywood projects to reach a wider audience. “There have been many commendable efforts to raise awareness about climate change,” Clinton noted. “However, the overwhelming information can leave people unsure about their role. We need stories that empower individuals with actionable steps, complementing the large-scale changes required at higher levels.” Highlighting Natural Disasters and Future Impacts Clinton pointed out the increasing frequency of natural disasters as a result of climate change. She underscored the economic impacts and the anticipated rise in climate migration. “Climate migration will dominate the next 25 years,” she predicted. “Insects moving to higher latitudes will lead to more diseases. Every climate issue has a greater impact on children.” Clinton’s New Fondness for the Number 34 A Subtle Dig at Donald Trump When asked what gives her hope in these challenging times, Clinton humorously responded, “I do have a new fondness for the number 34,” referencing the 34 felony counts against Donald Trump for falsifying business records. This light-hearted jab was met with applause and laughter from the audience. Resilience and Determination Beyond the political quip, Clinton expressed admiration for the resilience and determination she observes in people. “Despite the challenges, people remain steadfast. We must hold on to that spirit and continue to strive for change.” Panels and Discussions at the EMA Impact Summit Youth-Powered Climate Justice Shailene Woodley moderated a panel on youth-powered climate justice, emphasizing the crucial role young people play in driving environmental change. The panel discussed various initiatives and the importance of empowering the younger generation to take action. Space Medicine and Environmental Storytelling Lance Bass participated in a conversation about space medicine, highlighting its relevance to environmental sustainability. Meanwhile, Eli Roth and Issa López, showrunners of True Detective: Night Country, explored the incorporation of climate issues into genre storytelling. “Stories reflect who we are and plant the seeds for who we want to be,” López remarked. Roth added, “Addressing issues like fast fashion in horror films can make people question their habits in unexpected ways.” Ted Danson’s Activism and New Podcast Naked Lunch Podcast Live Recording The day also featured a live recording of Phil Rosenthal and David Wild’s Naked Lunch podcast with guest Ted Danson. Danson, a longtime ocean advocate and Oceana board member, discussed his climate activism and the importance of celebrity voices in advocacy. New Podcast with Woody Harrelson Danson announced a new podcast with Woody Harrelson, titled “Where Everybody Knows Your Name,” focusing on climate activism. He shared his experiences of being arrested with Jane Fonda during her Fire Drill Fridays, describing it as “the champagne of arrests.” Day One Highlights The first day of the summit included notable speakers like Rainn Wilson, Ed Begley Jr., Richa Moorjani, and Natalie Morales. The event, presented by Toyota, featured a series of engaging panels and discussions on various environmental topics.

[bryanreganphotography]

Day / 133

[haciendamoyano]

Early Sunday morning and we are at it again! #dawn #sunday #haciendamoyano #naguabo #puertorico #prislandstyle #sundayfunday #sunrise #earlymorning #workhard #toosmalltofail #tropicalparadise #rainforest #elyunque #nature #borinken #mountains #clouds #nature (at Hacienda Moyano, Naguabo, Puerto Rico) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFEpKo4B0LG/?igshid=15jsrjstaa5e8

[farmertucker]

I have been growing produce for chefs my whole career...without help from congress, our independent restaurants won’t survive this crisis... call your representatives and senators at the capitol switchboard: 202-224-3121 and demand that they are part of the federal stimulus plan. #saverestaurants #toosmalltofail (at United States Capitol) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-A-HfHhhAS/?igshid=gqn0sztxzohc

[headunderheals]

#TBT to simpler times, out with @emsplorations: our divine entree course of agnolotti and short rib at @roosterandowl. Here’s to hoping those days of dining out return...only better for everybody involved! ✊🏾🤞🏾🙏🏾#lifeofaaro #datenight #dining #diningout #roosterandowl #dcrestaurants #restaurants #entree #maincourse #toosmalltofail #unitedwestand (at Rooster & Owl) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_C1Td8DQzb/?igshid=a0nuoepff6jh

[dashidrama]

You want to help restaurants you say?

Last year, I attended a screening of Chef Roy Choi’s ( Los Angeles native and acclaimed Chef behind Kogi Food Trucks) PBS Docu Series “Broken Bread”. The series showcases examples of Food and Beverage professionals that use their restaurants as a vehicle for social justice. They employ marginalized members of society such as those struggling with a criminal record, drugs and homelessness. 

As someone who grew up in the restaurant industry and a former employee of a multinational marketer of packaged goods, I left with a lot of new questions and an overwhelming sense that there was something very wrong with the way our society values food and the people who work in the industry. I had a nagging feeling that this topic would confront me again, and that somehow, the status quo was going to cave in, and I was right. Eight months later, restaurants and their workers are in the midst of a crisis. There is an up swell of people calling to support local eateries, and most, are in agreement that our nation’s restaurants need help right now, and I of course, agree. 

But when the dust settles, and when the Stay Home Mandates end (whenever that may be), are we actually going to start asking the really tough questions about what drove my beloved industry into this state in the first place? Yes, restaurants had to close for a few weeks, but how could that (relatively) short span permanently cripple so many places, even those that are established and considered to be “successful” by any measure. As I hear more news of restaurants across the country, and as I look to the state of my own family’s restaurants, it seems that the dirty secret of the restaurant world has finally come to light; financial health for independent restaurant owners has all become but a pipe dream. While so many other industries and companies are making a claim to provide more work-life balance and promote health (physical, emotional, mental, financial), why is it that the restaurant world has been quietly passed over for these same things?

Any restaurant operator or even an investor in a restaurant will tell you, that over the years, margins have dwindled down to almost non-existent. 5-7% is considered “rock star” status; 2-3% is the new norm in larger metropolitan cities. The business of making food has become glorified through celebrity chef icons and anecdotes of success through scaling, franchising and branding.  The reality is that, for the ones who are bold (or crazy enough) to try, in reality, you are about to embark on a journey that forces you to make a lot of unpleasant compromises. 

For the restaurant operator, all of our costs are always rising. Rent, wages, insurance, produce,  and then there are the additional costs of keeping up with labor law legislation- sick pay, health insurance, accommodations for new parents, etc. These are the things that every worker (including restaurant workers) should have. Successful operators should be able to provide all of these things while paying a fair, living wage, and they should make enough money to be rewarded for the financial risk and the grueling hours that they work, but most operators will have to choose between these things. Operators are squeezed so tight and margins have dwindled so low that we are complicit in the things we know are wrong, but have essentially become an industry standard. Kitchens at even the most established places will take advantage of free labor by line cooks who start work early without clocking in to “develop themselves”, and so many of those employees demand their pay under the table because the wages they receive after taxes do not cover their basic living expenses.  Why is this happening? 

Yes, yes. Some of it is the competitive climate, and yes, landlords are tough. The restaurant world is brutal, thankless and litigious. It punishes those who do not have their head in the game, but all that aside, the real reason it is so hard for restaurant owners to survive though is... the customer. Because, we can only charge what you are willing to pay, and many customers simply do not understand the value of what a restaurant actually does. 

Today’s consumer has a seemingly insatiable set of demands when it comes to eating out. They are conscientious so they want their meals prepared from farm fresh ingredients, wrapped in eco-friendly packaging. They want the food quick but still at the perfect temperature. It would be nice if the meal was Instagrammable, and if the service is anything less than delightful, you will probably ask for a discount, and even if it was delightful, it should still be half off between the hours of 4PM-6PM. 

The demands continue to grow and grow while the downward pressure on prices drives margins lower and lower. In 1991, when my father opened a (a very successful) Udon shop in Hillsboro, Oregon, he charged $9.75 for a Bento Box- Chicken Teriyaki, Tempura, a California roll with a side of white rice, green salad and miso soup. Today, almost 30 years later, we make that same Bento Box and we charge $12 even though all of our other costs have increased tenfold and then some.  This isn’t relevant to just us. 

I regularly eat out in Garden Grove, California (the mecca of Southeast Asian food) where a bowl of noodle soup where the broth has been simmering for over 24 hours, is sold for EIGHT DOLLARS. Then there is always that wise ass guy that thinks he is a food expert because he eats out a lot and goes on Yelp and writes some asinine review about how the service was bad. Yes, the service was bad because the place is probably family-run and the employees are working for free. That is why your noodles were $8.

I cannot for the life of me understand why our society chooses to commoditize the meals prepared by people who work SO HARD to prepare, cook and serve them? Don’t get me wrong, the restaurant industry does employ a lot of assholes and misfits, but I can say pretty confidently that a vast majority of them work very very hard. Whether it be a line cook, or bartender or owner-operator, our job requires so much of us to deliver the quality that today’s consumer demands. So for those of you who are supporting your local business by ordering take out and buying gift cards, please continue to support our industry long after this is all over. Please do not complain about tipping or that your meal went up $.75. Please be willing to pay more at the restaurants who treat their employees well, and please, for the love of God, keep your negative Yelp opinions to yourself.

Photo credit: Christopher Rusev @unsplash

[lauraraposa]

Our schedule will change as of Friday, March 27. We will open a hour later Tuesday through Saturday. We’re off Sunday and Monday. However, we will offer a dinner special also beginning tomorrow. Check out our catering page on our website later today! 📷 by @easylakeoven 🌸 by @crossstreetflowerfarm #covid_19 #duxbury #toosmalltofail (at The Foodsmith) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-MmZqohorZ/?igshid=vaa2fosgvne6

[de-glazed]

Restaurant Closures, Layoffs and More..

2020 started out to be a promising year for the service industry with a projected sales to reach almost $900 Billion( Yes that’s Billion, with a “B”) and employing 15.6 million Americans according to the National Restaurant Association. Unfortunately, with the outbreak of COVID-19 virus things have taken a dramatic turn for the worst. 

States all across the country have ordered that bars close and restaurants restrict their business to help prevent further spread of the virus. Many of the bigger chains have made a change by offering takeout-only or making deliveries, doing what they can to minimize contact with other people while still providing service to the general public. 

Who really feels the impact of this pandemic are the employees, local restaurants the heart and soul of our communities. Millions of service industry workers across America have been laid-off, their places of work closed and no idea when, if at all that they will be able to work again. 

Without help from the government, the community and most of all, you, small restaurants may never recover from this epidemic. So reach out and do what you can. Buy gift cards to your favorite restaurant, order takeout from those who are able to still serve. Spread the word and reach out. 

here are a few websites that you can donate and help get word to congress. Help save the life of our communities!

https://www.saverestaurants.co/

https://www.jamesbeard.org/relief

[myfamilyroots]

I want to thank all my customers and businesses for their continued support and shout outs💚🙏🤗💋July was a blessed month thank to you!! @sarahhhvasquez @patriotinpearls @johnson_e13 @wauwatosahistoricalsociety @storyhillfirehouse @dmhwigderson @milwaukeemicrogreens @kilwinsmilwaukee @beaninfinitewarrior @margeitdown @marythebusinessteacher @dniebler12 @cheddarandvine @cathys3014 @debraleemay @kellyydeweese my main muse🤗@yogaonestudio @hearthnhoney_ and so many more real and true friends💋🙌🏻💚 you mean the world to me!!#blessedinmke #screwcovid #staystong #toosmalltofail #warrior #mkebestcharcuterie #myfamilyrootscatering (at Milwaukee, Wisconsin) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDc_zf1nc0t/?igshid=1nbqeog5w8wa7

[haciendamoyano]

After Maria... 3 years ago #survived #puertoricostrong #haciendamoyano #naguabo #puertorico #prislandstyle #toosmalltofail (at Hacienda Moyano, Naguabo, Puerto Rico) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFWyy6ABXoQ/?igshid=17bdpro5gv5ov

[andrettibrown]

We are #raleighnc #toosmalltofail (at Pooleside Pies) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBFHC9bHPgz/?igshid=srzmo4a2ey7n

[survivorsjourneyclothing]

Explore downtown Raleigh over the weekend in Survivors Journey style! This mural is perfect #toosmalltofail means you can’t fail cause you are small but Mighty to us. Follow us @survivorsjourneyclothing on Instagram and Facebook . . . . . . . #survivorsjourneyclothing #clothingbrand #survivorsstyle #livinginthemoment #survivedbygrace #christianbrand #lifestylebrand #swagger #faith #beattheodds #grindharder #traveltheworld #takenothingforgranted #godscompass #jeeplife #timewaitsfornoone #mountainlifestyle #christianlifestyle #loveyourself #wnc #828isgreat #raleigh #crossfit #fitness #beautyoflife #raleighnc #cityswag #liftedjeep #jeepgladiator (at Raleigh, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/CA9G6E3JFPj/?igshid=1q4xu8w5mnfqf

[tacnroll-blog]

Today we honor the brave men and women that served in the United States Armed Forces of America. We reflect on there achievements and sacrifices past and present #memorialday. Please stay safe and stay strong. 📸 by: @karenina.here 🎨 by: @esoteric_art_and_illustration . . . . . . #tacnrollnyc #black6project #black6coffee #nycstrong #marinecorps #usmc #usmcveteran #veteran #veteranowned #americastrong #kareninahere #esotericartandillustration #saverestaurants #toosmalltofail #supportlocal #restaurant #smallbusiness #coronavirus #covid19 #stayhomesaveslives #smallbizsos (at Tac N Roll) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAoFjH8D5SB/?igshid=14vjcu1mqoq46

[tiptopdailymarket]

Our friends at Mom & Pop printing have organized a great promotion to help small businesses and get you some sweet T-shirts! Swipe for more info and link to buy a shirt is in our bio! And as always, thank you all so much for your continued support. I can’t express how much it means to our team and our families! ❤️Tip Top #tshirt #toosmalltofail #plazahills #plazashamrock #countryclubheights #villaheights #noda #plazamidwood #charlotte #clt #charlottesgotalot #tiptopyadontstop #finelivin #moreplease #allthebeveragessnacksandrecordsfitfordailyconsumption (at Tip Top Daily Market) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAajgSJp7OG/?igshid=rr9mzyy2b5e7

[kurmancommunications]

Love to travel as much as we do? Pretty soon you will get a virtual experience of the First Ever Food Tour to Ethiopia and Vietnam At Home. In collaboration with Chef Tigist Reda of Demera Ethiopian Restaurant and Saigon Sisters, we will give you a limited time offer to experience our cuisines and get essential ingredients that are hard to find. Follow us for upcoming details. #womenhelpingwomen #toosmalltofail #saverestaurants #saigonsisters #demeraethiopianchi #chifrenchmarket #thewestloopisthebestloop #chicagofrenchmarket #westloop #westloopchamber #fultonmarket #fultonriverdistrict #rivernorthresidentsassoc #westloop #chicagorestaurants #chicagodelivers #leftbankchicago #1400monroe #altaroosevelt #nemachicago #wolfpointwest #the_van_buren #echelon.chicago #180northjefferson #truewestloop (at Chicago French Market) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAFuMcFFnkp/?igshid=ditrgr1hdxvz

[socialsf]

New numbers out from the Bureau of Labor Statistics this morning show that food and beverage establishments lost 5.5 MILLION jobs in April. That means restaurants account for ONE out of every FOUR jobs lost last month. . “If March was bad, April was the worst case scenario for America’s 500,000 independent restaurants. Independent restaurants need a $120 billion stabilization fund to give us a fighting chance at putting 11 million people back to work. Restaurants were the first to close and will be the last to reopen. A quarter of the people who lost their jobs last month worked in a restaurant, yet we’ve seen nothing from Congress that will help ensure these people will have jobs to return to when this crisis ends or that will save an industry that contributes $1 trillion to our economy. . “While we are pleased that Congress is proposing changes to the PPP, any fixes to the program are an eight-week band-aid for an 18-month problem. The PPP is helping some small businesses survive the crisis, but it’s not working for independent restaurants. Many independent restaurants aren’t getting relief, and among the small group that are, they won’t be able to use that relief when shelter-in-place orders are lifted. Congress must take action and pass a stabilization fund." . Tell your reps we need their help at the link in bio. . . #SaveRestaurants #Restaurants #TooSmallToFail #Coronavirus #RestaurantCoalition https://www.instagram.com/p/B_72AyFhpx4/?igshid=aziiqi7ci6l7