IV Sounia’s Response to Matthew Kenney

My outreach efforts and activism prioritize Black Lives and Latinx, amplifying a light on racial inequities within the restaurant service industry where disparities continue to be salient. By reaching out to you, my goal is to bring to your attention the absence of Black and Latinx of color within your executive leadership. The notion that having a white Hispanic man in your upper echelons makes your hospitality group inclusive underlines a profound disconnect on your part.

Further, your attempt to tokenize your Asian and Indian staff is evidence of how detached you are with the Black Lives Matter movement at a time where organizations within the restaurant sector are amplifying Black voices as a means to narrow racial inequities. And, yesterday’s cancelation of the James Beard Award is further evidence of an industry-wide effort to be more racially inclusive, so why so much push back and disdain on your part and waging insults against me?
As for “worsening the problem I claim to care about”, as a woman from a historically marginalized group, my reality is directly affected by structural racism, so I’m troubled and taken back that you made that statement. As a biracial French woman of African & Arab descent, I further take issue with your attempt to racially stereotype me as an angry drunk and a troublemaker. And here you are claiming to care about Black Lives?

Your flagrant display of toxic white masculinity further validates my point that you are simply not sensitive to Black Lives at a time when organizations throughout the US are pledging to be more culturally responsive to historically oppressed minorities of color. As for being a troublemaker, to quote the legendary Congressman and racial activist John Lewis “you must find a way to get in the way and get in good trouble,” and that is the guiding principle that fuels my activism, because good trouble is necessary to address structural racism. It is unfortunate that your arrogance precedes you in a way that makes you feel compelled to police my activism agenda, rather than showing a soupçon of compassion.