WUWM
Lucky Liu s on the east side of Milwaukee was forced to close for over a month in 2020 because of racist attacks against workers. The restaurant is one of over 50 being featured in Milwaukee s AAPI Restaurant Week.
Across the country, racist attacks on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) have only continued to grow. A recent survey done by the nonprofit Leading Asian Americans to Unite for Change, found that only 23% of Asian American responders said that they feel respected in their community.
Jenny Lee, owner of Perilla Kitchen, is a member of ElevAsian a group of AAPI community leaders who work to promote the voices of all AAPI people in Greater Milwaukee.
Photo by Sujhey Beisser
Sujhey Beisser started moonlighting as a personal chef four years ago, making dishes like lamb loin chops with a spiced crust, served with salad and basil pesto.
When I decided to start offering personal chef services four years ago, I knew there was a rising demand for this work and room to grow. Having a diverse background was another positive angle of my small business I was one of the only Latinas in the space locally. I decided my focus would be on special occasions and in-home cooking lessons, which would allow me to run my business while keeping my day job.