Video captured the moment young business owners were targeted in a racist rant by a man in Altadena.
The owners of Ka-Ibigan Cafe had set up their coffee cart outside their home on Mount Curve Avenue after receiving permits to open up shop. The shop serves drinks inspired by Filipino and Mexican fusion flavors.
The cart was only open for a few days when on Monday, a male neighbor suddenly approached them and began yelling at the entrepreneurs in a racist rant.
Video of the confrontation showed the man walking up to the family while angrily saying, “Maybe you could open a whore house, that might be good too, or a meth lab. Maybe you could open something else that’s illegal.”
He is later heard yelling, “You’re breaking the law!”
The family targeted by the man said they calmly explained that they were licensed but the man would not listen and threatened to take legal action against them.
“He was throwing his hands up and pointing fingers in my face,” said Jennifer Schweitzer, the mother of the business owners.
The young owners of the coffee cart said they worked hard to open their business after securing the proper permits and their food handler’s license.
They initially set up shop on their driveway with a table. As residents and neighbors continued supporting their business, they eventually purchased a small trailer where they could prepare and serve drinks to customers.
“We’re just out here with a dream and a plan and we’re just trying to make it happen,” said Marina Solis, co-owner of the coffee cart.
According to the victims, the man later came back to apologize but continued to make racist comments about the family while saying he was surprised to see their business thrive in a predominantly white neighborhood.
The victims said they remained stunned and disturbed over the confrontation.
“Given the community support we do have, it was upsetting to see somebody that upset and angry about [our business],” Solis said.
“The fact that it’s down the street from where we are, it was kind of scary,” said neighbor Fatan Tchelepi. “I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, this is in the neighborhood,’ so it’s pretty uncomfortable.”
After video of the confrontation was posted to social media, the Ka-Ibigan coffee cart saw a community outpouring of support and a notable uptick in customers.
“I know the hustle and I know what it’s about,” said Askan Emami, a patron. “It’s so exciting to have an idea and want to share it with people and for people to show you love. When I drove by, I was just super happy to see them out here.”
As for the young cart owners, they said the incident left them a bit shaken but they remain dedicated to pursuing their dreams and serving up the best product for their growing number of loyal customers.
They also hope to earn enough money to eventually purchase a generator so their cart can conduct business at different venues. Their ultimate goal is to earn enough funds to open a brick-and-mortar location.