Last week, two women in Portland had to close their taco truck because people were complaining that they were appropriating the Mexican culture and, being white women, they were not allowed to do that. Some people compiled a list of all the restaurants that are culturally appropriating cuisine - from the Tasting Table:
This Is a List of Every "Culturally Appropriative" Restaurant in Portland
Last week, the Internet exploded over a white-owned Portland burrito truck that was forced to close over an issue of cultural appropriation. After being featured in a Portland-based magazine, word that the two women had "stolen" their recipes from Mexico spread like wildfire, causing Kooks Burritos to shutter amid the controversy.
In the aftermath of the closing, many commenters online voiced their agreement with the consequences, while others found the claims of cultural appropriation to be largely unfounded and exaggerated.
Still, people of color (POC) in the Portland community want to take more steps toward preventing cultural appropriation from taking over their food culture. In response, a Google Doc called "(Alternatives To) White-Owned Appropriative Restaurants in Portland" is now in circulation, featuring an extensive list of what the creators deem to be appropriative establishments in Portland. The list, which can be viewed here, offers the names of the business owners, as well as the nearest POC-owned dining alternative for each restaurant.
From the document:
This is NOT about cooking at home or historical influences on cuisines; it's about profit, ownership, and wealth in a white supremacist culture.
White people are nearly 50% more likely than people of color (POC) to own a business in the state of Oregon. Ownership builds wealth in ways that employment does not. The racial wealth and small business lending gaps in the US are pronounced, which allows white folks to open new businesses more easily. These white-owned businesses hamper the ability for POC to run successful businesses of their own (cooking their own cuisines) by either consuming market share with their attempt at authenticity or by modifying foods to market to white palates. Their success further perpetuates the problems stated above. It's a cyclical pattern that will require intentional behavior change to break.
Hmmmm - the Tard is strong in that one. Or as Bugs the Wise once said:
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