It was a daily reality for her to deal with rampant sexual innuendos, inappropriate comments, and name-calling. As a Black woman, she was passed up for promotions, talked-down to, and ridiculed for wanting to do “that kind of food.” Once she came out as a lesbian, in addition to losing customers, she was subject to harassment that came in the form of gossip. She was constantly told that she did not look like a lesbian. “I’m still trying to figure out what a lesbian is supposed to look like and how that plays into my ability to cook,” she says. “I can’t say that these experiences changed my view of the kitchen because I’ve never seen it from any other space... I can only share the perspective from my eyes.” In addition to dealing with the toxic environment in the kitchen, it is also difficult for minorities to access capital. It has always been and continues to be a problem. She does not believe that there is any easy fix. Though it could start with not just listening but truly hearing the cries for equitable opportunities within the system, and
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