Damián Diaz and Othón Nolasco are giving back to the people who feed the US behind the scenes through their Los Angeles-based non-profit No Us Without You, which supports undocumented workers in the hospitality industry. The winners of the Champions of Change Award 2023 as part of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants share the inspiration behind their project, their journey and future plans
Damián Diaz and Othón Nolasco almost didn’t make it to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023 awards ceremony in Valencia. The pair had raised funds to travel from Los Angeles to Spain, but when the day of the event arrived, multiple train and flight delays began to make them fear the worst. After travelling so far, would they manage to join the gastronomic community gathered at the impressive Palau de les Arts, ready to celebrate them as winners of a Champions of Change Award?
Diaz and Nolasco ran desperately from the plane, changed into their shirts and smart shoes on a train, then bolted towards Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences – an architectural wonder, but not one that is easy to navigate, especially under time pressure. Finally, they crashed through the doors of the auditorium to the joy of the audience and relief of the presenter, who had been buying them time on stage.
“We are overwhelmed with gratitude,” says the pair, referring to the accolade. “We share this wonderful award with all our amazing volunteers who for years have helped shape No Us Without You into what it is today.”
Diaz and Nolasco travelled almost 10,000 kilometres across the world to receive their trophy in person
The two long-time friends and experienced bartenders created Not Us Without You LA (NUWY) in 2020 to provide “food relief to the most disenfranchised hospitality workers affected by the pandemic”. They aimed to use their own funds to help only 30 undocumented back-of-house workers, such as dishwashers, line cooks and prep cooks, during the difficult time of the Covid-19 lockdown. Their selflessness was rewarded as they received massive support from their industry peers, who volunteered and donated to help them achieve their goal and even surpass it. Today, NUWY still delivers food to 700 families per week.
Latino roots run deep
Nolasco and Diaz first crossed paths in 2012 when the former went to a job interview at the restaurant where the latter was employed. When Nolasco approached the bar and asked for the general manager, Diaz welcomed him warmly and offered him a glass of water, showing his hospitable nature from the outset.
Both began their careers working in diners, starting in the back of house as dishwashers and working their way up to become bartenders. Even as they progressed in their careers, they remained humble and mindful of the hard work of others. “We roll in at 12:30pm and they've been there since 7am working hard for five hours, and then they help us out and feed us,” says Diaz. “We learned a lot about hospitality from the back of the house.”
But their own experience in hospitality isn’t the only reason why Diaz and Nolasco created No Us Without You. Both come from families of immigrants and remain close to their roots, as well as to the desire to serve others that was instilled by their families. They believe in a straightforward motto: “We are humans helping humans.” They also invite people to remember that the wine they drink and the vegetables they eat "are probably picked by the hands of undocumented people”.
No Us Without You is powered by a dedicated team of volunteers
The duo is passionate about hospitality and finds fulfilment in helping others within the industry, especially those who are less recognised, despite their hard work. “We advocate for folks who feel invisible and we label them as essential,” says Diaz. “An award-winning restaurant won’t be the same if the food were served on a dirty plate.”
Backing up the back of house
Even though the non-profit was inspired by the challenging situation created by Covid-19, Diaz and Nolasco’s willingness to help did not stop when hospitality businesses reopened and people went back to work. They continue to help undocumented workers and have integrated new ways to convey their support. “Whether it's through food, community engagement or translating a document, there are still 700 families that we are serving monthly,” says Diaz. They are proud to have worked with some of them for over three years.
The team behind NUWY has also created other projects, including Va'la Hospitality, a bar consultancy group established in 2018 with the goal of giving back to the industry. Even though its original space was later repurposed as a food distribution centre for the non-profit, Diaz and Nolasco continue to offer services such as bar concept development, cocktail creation and brand activation through Va’la.
Champions of Change: Damián Diaz and Othón Nolasco in a nutshell
Cause: Providing food relief and advisory services to undocumented hospitality workers
Effect: Supporting thousands of people in need in Los Angeles; giving visibility and dignity to the disenfranchised
Achievement: Surpassing the initial goal of feeding 30 families, with 700 currently receiving by-weekly food packages
What’s next: Making No Us Without You entirely self-sustainable
Final word: “We represent immigrant people who come to the country to work and bring a better quality of life to their families by sending money back home. We are just helping them get by and making sure they’re fed.”
In an effort to support their charity and achieve greater self-sufficiency, the two friends established Finca Tachibana in 2022, an organic garden and event space for fundraising. All profits from their endeavours are directed towards purchasing food for NUWY. “We hire a lot of our volunteers to be our staff and work with us when we have events, so it's a full circle,” says Nolasco.
Currently, No Us Without You LA is providing bi-weekly food security to more than 700 families. The founders intend to continue offering food relief packages in 2023 and beyond to demonstrate to undocumented back-of-house workers that they are not forgotten, invisible or disrespected.
The road ahead
Diaz and Nolasco plan to launch a new venture in 2024 focused on showcasing their expertise in hospitality and cocktail making. However, Diaz affirms: “Our programme is always going to be a food security programme. That's our mission statement and that's what we reacted to, because every human has a right to food. It's advocacy for folks who work very hard, working two or three jobs for 70 to 80 hours a week, and still have trouble paying rent.
“We started with a box of food and we never lose sight of that. But we extend so many other resources and so many other types of help that these families and this community need.”
Finca Tachibana is Diaz and Nolasco's fundraising and event space in Los Angeles
It all began by feeding just 30 people, but thanks to the pair’s passion for hospitality, their compassion for others, the hard work of their network of volunteers and the donations of those who believe in the programme, over three years No Us Without You has supported thousands of undocumented workers. In doing so, it has allowed many of these hospitality stalwarts to rewrite their path in their search of a better tomorrow. Diaz and Nolasco are making a significant impact by bringing about the change they wish to see in the world.
How you can help:
- Donate on nouswithoutyou.la: $33 can provide food for a family of four, but people are invited to donate as much or as little as they can, with 100% of donations used to feed families.
- Become a volunteer: fill out the form at the bottom of the NUWY’s Contact Us page and have a conversation with Diaz to put your skills to use where they are most needed.
- Purchase merchandise from the NUWY online shop, which offers t-shirts, mugs, jumpers and other items. The funds are used directly to buy food for families.
- If you are based in or are visiting Los Angeles, show your support by attending one of the events at Finca Tachibana.
- If you work in the hospitality industry in the US, Diaz and Nolasco say: “Reach out to the people you work with, because the odds are they're undocumented. Get to know them, learn their names and see if they need a little help.”
- Contact Diaz and Nolasco if you’d like to initiate a similar project in another city, to receive information and guidance. They say: “No one says that you have to feed the entire world, but you can check in on your neighbours and start by helping your own block. It's not hard to help one person.”
Did you miss the ceremony of The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2023? Catch up on the livestream:
The list of The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2023, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, was announced on Tuesday 20th June at a live awards ceremony in Valencia. To stay up to date with the latest news, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, and sign up to our newsletter.
