La Bodeguita De Mima, the Cuban-owned restaurant, received demands from local Black Lives Matter supporters such as maintaining that roughly 23% of their employees are black and they included to increase the representation of black products by the same proportional amount. The demands from Black Lives Matter have also included that the restaurant pay organizations like Black Lives Matter 1.5% of their monthly profits if they don't meet the targeted representation numbers. The protesters have set their deadline for their demands for August 17, 2020. There are also many other demands made by the protesters which include further 'protests' at the establishments who do not sign the contract.
Fernando Martinez, a partner of the Ol Restaurant Group who owns the La Bodeguita de Mima and Taco Luchador, publicly rejected the demands made by the Black Lives Matter local group. Martinez labeled the demands as "mafia tactics". Many supporters of the Latino-owned business have also voiced their concerns and also have rejected the demands from BLM activists. Fernando Martinez and associates feeling threatened by these demands have replied to protesters that "La Bodeguita is open to everybody." He stated, "How can I be called a bigot and a racist when my family is Black? When my son is gay?" Martinez, who escaped Cuba to come to the United States, could not believe that he would be under this level of scrutiny after all that he has experienced.
Sadiqa Reynolds, the CEO of the Louisville Urban League and one of many voices who have supported the protests against the restaurant, has made multiple public statements on behalf of the local BLM community and dismisses their statements.
Fernando Martinez, a partner of the Ol Restaurant Group who owns the La Bodeguita de Mima and Taco Luchador, publicly rejected the demands made by the Black Lives Matter local group. Martinez labeled the demands as "mafia tactics". Many supporters of the Latino-owned business have also voiced their concerns and also have rejected the demands from BLM activists. Fernando Martinez and associates feeling threatened by these demands have replied to protesters that "La Bodeguita is open to everybody." He stated, "How can I be called a bigot and a racist when my family is Black? When my son is gay?" Martinez, who escaped Cuba to come to the United States, could not believe that he would be under this level of scrutiny after all that he has experienced.
Sadiqa Reynolds, the CEO of the Louisville Urban League and one of many voices who have supported the protests against the restaurant, has made multiple public statements on behalf of the local BLM community and dismisses their statements.
This business stood up against the protesters as other local businesses agree to the demands. Talesha Wilson, a local activist who also assisted in writing the list of demands, says she believes that it was a "temper tantrum that could have been solved by a conversation." It is expected that they will be boycotting the organization as protests pick up against the restaurant owner.
