Thank you so much for doing the Linda Vista Updates. I have loved every one of the stories except for this particular one on Breakfast Republic. With great respect, this is my ‘Letter to the Editor’. I would like to suggest, instead of doing a restaurant review of chain restaurants that make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year like Breakfast Republic owned by a corporation called Rise & Shine Restaurant Group, is to review mom and pop restaurants and focus on local businesses that are still hurting and focus on the owners that are connected to what is the heart and soul of Linda Vista. Breakfast Republic got a huge government pandemic bailout where smaller businesses in Linda Vista did not. It’s founder Johan Engman has HUGE white privilege background as he worked as a big financial adviser in corporate big Pharma. He is in no way connected to Linda Vista or the hard working people that have had decades of struggle to get to have the chance to own a business. He is from an upper middle class family in Sweden. Yes, he does have minorities on staff now in the corporate office but we all know being white grants you a lot of access to loans and extra startup cash that minorities have to jump through far more hoops. He had little issue gaining a visa as a Swedish white man, which any other minority only dares to dream could happen as easily as it did for him. Ask anyone begging for asylum in all the war torn countries that currently make up some of the minorities of Linda Vista (Mexican, Venezuelan, Guatemala, Chinese, Vietnamese, Afghans, Iraqi refugees all living in the blocks around me and the affordable housing units in LV). When reviewing, as I learned from reporting, is try and tell the back story especially when it involves corporations. We have some FANTASTIC minority owned businesses in a predominantly minority neighborhood. As a white gay man, I know and recognize my privilege. I am both a UNC Chapel Hill and Harvard grad. I acknowledge my struggles are no where near what Linda Vista minorities face. We bought in this neighborhood, to not change it into some white neighborhood but to help from within to keep its beautiful diverse charm. And it is my duty to make sure that my fellow minority neighbors are very much represented as their voice is rarely heard. So I’ve learned to speak up when they are too afraid to. Because that is what makes up most of Linda Vista. I bring this up because the restaurant groups’ founder’s own story oozes white privilege. Here are his words….he even admits he fudged the truth to get his big time accounting job in big pharmaceutical group to offset his expenses when starting his chain. https://riseandshinerg.com/about-us/
An AMAZING breakfast place owned by a MINORITY family (instead of a bunch of white businessmen) is called KAMILA’s at 5252 Balboa Ave located behind RiteAid at Balboa and Genesse right in Linda Vista. It used to be Country Waffles but they broke off before the pandemic and became an independent little mom and pop (literally) breakfast and lunch joint. Far less greasy than Perry’s and less expensive. We eat there quite often. They have outdoor seating and far less wait. I hope, in future, the voices of the unheard get heard. We are outdoors in our front yard often. I make sure to say hello to all those walking by. That is how I know the people I mention don’t get heard when part of this neighborhood. I encourage each of them to be a part of Linda Vista events. Thank you so much. Keep writing and doing this wonderful online blog. -Jonathan Widener
Thank you so much for doing the Linda Vista Updates. I have loved every one of the stories except for this particular one on Breakfast Republic. With great respect, this is my ‘Letter to the Editor’. I would like to suggest, instead of doing a restaurant review of chain restaurants that make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year like Breakfast Republic owned by a corporation called Rise & Shine Restaurant Group, is to review mom and pop restaurants and focus on local businesses that are still hurting and focus on the owners that are connected to what is the heart and soul of Linda Vista. Breakfast Republic got a huge government pandemic bailout where smaller businesses in Linda Vista did not. It’s founder Johan Engman has HUGE white privilege background as he worked as a big financial adviser in corporate big Pharma. He is in no way connected to Linda Vista or the hard working people that have had decades of struggle to get to have the chance to own a business. He is from an upper middle class family in Sweden. Yes, he does have minorities on staff now in the corporate office but we all know being white grants you a lot of access to loans and extra startup cash that minorities have to jump through far more hoops. He had little issue gaining a visa as a Swedish white man, which any other minority only dares to dream could happen as easily as it did for him. Ask anyone begging for asylum in all the war torn countries that currently make up some of the minorities of Linda Vista (Mexican, Venezuelan, Guatemala, Chinese, Vietnamese, Afghans, Iraqi refugees all living in the blocks around me and the affordable housing units in LV). When reviewing, as I learned from reporting, is try and tell the back story especially when it involves corporations. We have some FANTASTIC minority owned businesses in a predominantly minority neighborhood. As a white gay man, I know and recognize my privilege. I am both a UNC Chapel Hill and Harvard grad. I acknowledge my struggles are no where near what Linda Vista minorities face. We bought in this neighborhood, to not change it into some white neighborhood but to help from within to keep its beautiful diverse charm. And it is my duty to make sure that my fellow minority neighbors are very much represented as their voice is rarely heard. So I’ve learned to speak up when they are too afraid to. Because that is what makes up most of Linda Vista. I bring this up because the restaurant groups’ founder’s own story oozes white privilege. Here are his words….he even admits he fudged the truth to get his big time accounting job in big pharmaceutical group to offset his expenses when starting his chain. https://riseandshinerg.com/about-us/
An AMAZING breakfast place owned by a MINORITY family (instead of a bunch of white businessmen) is called KAMILA’s at 5252 Balboa Ave located behind RiteAid at Balboa and Genesse right in Linda Vista. It used to be Country Waffles but they broke off before the pandemic and became an independent little mom and pop (literally) breakfast and lunch joint. Far less greasy than Perry’s and less expensive. We eat there quite often. They have outdoor seating and far less wait. I hope, in future, the voices of the unheard get heard. We are outdoors in our front yard often. I make sure to say hello to all those walking by. That is how I know the people I mention don’t get heard when part of this neighborhood. I encourage each of them to be a part of Linda Vista events. Thank you so much. Keep writing and doing this wonderful online blog. -Jonathan Widener