Food Truck
(Photo : Reuters)



New York City is one of the best places where Latinos thrive by having their small businesses. According to a recently published article, there are more than 300 small businesses in the city that are owned by Latinos. 

Amid the global health crisis that the United States is facing today, Latinos who own small businesses like restaurants continue to serve the New Yorkers through take out or delivery service.   

This routine is something that Sonia Henriquez, a Latina who owns a restaurant, did not expect to happen. Before Pres. Trump released an order there were still people coming to her restaurant but this time people come and have the food take out.

Restaurants are one of the essential businesses that are allowed to open however there are limitations this time due to the effect brought by COVID-19. They are not allowed anymore to dine-in customers but they are allowed to operate only for take-out services.

To make sure that her restaurant is clean and away from bacteria and viruses, she assured and commanded her staff to clean the highly-touched surfaces in every 15 to 20 minutes. like tables, chairs, floors, and doorknobs. 

Her restaurant was open 24 hours every day before COVID-19 hit the city. However, this time there some changes because they do deliveries until 11 in the evening. 

According to Henriquez that most of her clients go to her restaurant to eat their breakfast or to have late-night bite midnight. But these normal routines in her restaurant significantly changed when the local officials mandated to practice social distancing, avoid mass gatherings of more than 50, and as much as possible is to work at home. 

Despite this, she still continues to serve New Yorkers by extending her service trough take-out services. She said that the change in her restaurant was very dramatic. Though hr restaurant is still open until 11 in the evening to do food deliveries and she assured that she will heed to the government for any changes once she is told.

In an interview with her, she said that Latino business owners like her are much willing to help the government to flatten the curve. If they will be told to close, then they will close. If they need to cut back their hours of operation if they will do it also.

One of the reasons that why she still open her restaurant even if people in New York are limited to go outside because she wants to earn even just a little to pay the rent, water, electricity, and most of all her employees. The Latino culture clearly manifests in her action by valuing family, her employees.

Moreover, Arelia Taveras, New York State Latino Restaurant Bar and Lounge Association executive director, said that Henriquez is very lucky to have her restaurant still open even amid the global health crisis.

There are more than 300 owned businesses in New York and most of them decided to close and shut down because they do not have delivery systems or they cannot compete with big companies or big food chains.

To address this problem of Latino small business owners, Espaillat who represents the Washington Heights wrote a letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo to have a 90-day moratorium for small businesses in the state during the months of March, April, and May.

While waiting for the response from the Governor's office, the New York State Latino Restaurant Bar and Lounge Association joined other local business owners by sending a notice "we cannot pay our rent this time." 

This pressing issue caught the attention of the Mayor's office and even offered zero-interest loans to certain small businesses. However, this was not supported by Espaillat because small businesses will be overwhelmed once they go back to their operation three months after and with loans plus their debts.

Despite this and the future problems that Latino owners will be facing due to COVID-19 they still continue to serve people in New York by having a system of food delivery and opening their restaurant 24 hours a day to make sure that there is enough food for people living in New York City.

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