It’s International Women's Month. But did you know that less than 50% of all restaurants are owned by women?
Now, one Oakland restauranteur is looking to change that.
At “Homeroom” in Oakland’s Temescal Neighborhood is known for its wide variety mac and cheese options, more than a dozen different varieties.
The restaurant is looking to move the entire industry forward. Since opening 12 years ago, owner Erin Wade has made it her mission to employ mostly women and People of Color in leadership positions.
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The “open book” business also shares its finances with employees to encourage financial literacy.
“We just had a commitment that we wanted our team and our leadership to look like our city. 9:35 Oakland is one of the most diverse cities in the country,” said Wade.
The meals of wisdom don’t stop there. Wade also created a color-coded manual to protect staff against harassment by customers. It's now been adopted by the equal employment opportunity commission - and is being used by various restaurants nationwide.
“’Yellow means staff are getting a bad feeling, orange flags inappropriate comments prompting a manager to step in, red means the customer is being asked to leave," she said. “Because we change the power dynamic at a very low level, it generally doesn’t escalate to those worst levels."
The mission of “Homeroom” is in its name. A place where wade hopes everyone feels at home from the staff to the customers who walk through her door.
The restaurant is one of more than 125 serving up special meals during Oakland’s Restaurant Week. After years of pandemic recovery. the hope is this week will bring added business to eateries throughout the city.
“The past couple of years for anyone in any business some of the hardest to make it through. We are really grateful to be here,” Wade said.
With every meal served, Wade explains her mission goes far beyond food. She's striving to impower and create space to allow everyone to have a seat at the table.
