O.C. businesses donate to Asian American and Pacific Islander organizations

In response to reports of increased racism and violence against Asian Americans throughout the country, 20 Orange County businesses have decided to donate to various local and national groups that advocate for the Asian American and Pacific Islander population.

Most of the donations will go toward the Orange County Asian & Pacific Islander Community Alliance, including national groups AAPI Community Fund and Asian Americans Advancing Justice.

“Although our AAPI community is going through a difficult time, I personally am just really proud of all the community collaboration happening to support the stop Asian hate campaign,” said Gabby Del Barrio of OCAPICA. “We’re just grateful to have various local restaurants reach out to support the cause.”

Many of the businesses will donate a portion of their sales to the advocacy groups or food to local Asian American seniors.

The businesses are: Banh Xeo Boys at Rodeo 39, Beleaf Burgers at Rodeo 39, Berry Brand, Bestea at Rodeo 39, Blind Rabbit, Burntzilla + Burnt Crumbs, Dough & Arrow, Cali Dumpling Delivery, Hello Kitty Grand Cafe, Heritage BBQ, Honey & Butter, Hotties Fried Chicken, MixMix Kitchen by Chef Ross Pangilinan, Primal Cuts at Rodeo 39, Rodeo Bar at Rodeo 39, Shomi Noods, Stowaway Tiki, Sapphire Laguna, Taylor Made Cuisine and zeroUV.

“We’ve been seeing all this stuff on the news, and it’s really disgusting,” said Allan Tea, co-owner of Hello Kitty Cafe in Irvine and Cali Dumpling Delivery, which delivers in Orange County. “It really upsets me and my wife. She shows me every time I get home all these new videos of people being attacked, especially elderly people ... So we are willing to do whatever we can to help. I wish we could do more.

“I’m lucky I haven’t had anything happen to any of my immediate family or even any of my friends or family. But a lot of those community centers are here in Santa Ana, where we live, so we want to make sure these people are safe and protected within our own community.”

Tea said his businesses are donating 100 bags of dumplings and 100 portions of pastries to local seniors.

Tea said he’s been a supporter of OCAPICA for years. His businesses work with the organization by providing food at community events.

“They’re blaming Asians for COVID because it originated in China,” Tea said. “And the reason AAPI and all these organizations are raising money is to educate people.”

Daniel Castillo of Heritage Barbecue in San Juan Capistrano said his business will be donating all of its proceeds from its Pulled Pork Adobo Bowl to OCAPICA until Sunday.

“Diversity is very important to us, so when the Black Lives Matter movement came about, we made it known that we were into it and we were on board,” Castillo said. “That being said, that can cause controversy ... But we have been those kind of people being really open-minded and we don’t take it as a political standpoint but more of as being human beings.”

Castillo said his staff is very diverse and the dishes at his eatery reflect the different cultures and heritage. Heritage Barbecue’s executive chef Nicholas Echaore developed the dish that will raise funds for OCAPICA. Echaore is Filipino American.

“Living in a type of world where you have to be afraid of what’s going to happen to you by the way you look is just not right,” Castillo said.

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