Senior Capstone

With a new administration comes new challenges restaurant owners will face. 

Businesses are recovering after the COVID-19 pandemic, but the increase of tariffs, shifts in DEI initiatives, and rise of ICE raids could be a new hurdle they need to cross. Over 20% of workers in the restaurant industry are immigrants according to the National Restaurant Association. One million of those workers are undocumented. In this capstone package, Liv Wood speaks to restaurant owners who are impacted and discusses how Washington D.C. could see turnovers in the upcoming year.

Wood speaks to Apapacho Taqueria owner, Alam Mendez; Peruvian Brothers co-founder, Giuseppe Lanzone; Republic Cantina owner, Chris Svetlik; Puddin’ owner, Toyin’ Alli; and former Washington D.C. Nightlife and Culture Director in the Mayor’s Office, Salah Czapary. Some of them say the future is uncertain, but also feel hopeful they will remain afloat despite the many changes in the restaurant industry. Svetlik and his team participated in a Day Without Immigrants protest in February and he says he prepares his staff for potential raids. 

Wood spoke with business owners at Mess Hall. The communications director at Mess Hall told her to not film any of the workers and to conceal their identity. Other businesses also asked her to be cautious when recording.

All interviews were conducted by Liv Wood and the project was filmed, written, and edited by Liv Wood.

Sources who were interviewed/assisted in the mini doc:

  • Alam Mendez of Apapacho Taqueria

  • Giuseppe Lanzone of Peruvian Brothers

  • Toyin Alli of Puddin’

  • Chris Svetlik of Republic Cantina

  • Diana Rios Jasso of Jarabe Gourmet Pops

  • Salah Czapary, former DC “Night Mayor”

  • Tommy McFly, NBC4 Correspondent and Personality

  • Amr Shehata, Union Market District PR

  • Al Goldberg of Mess Hall


Data sources/work cited: