Jametta Raspberry, House of Gristle, Minnesota

My name is Jametta Raspberry and in 2019 I founded the House of Gristle in the Twin Cities, Minnesota. House of Gristle is a community-focused food pop-up and catering service. We strive to create opportunities for equitable outcomes for women in the culinary industry. As a woman in the industry, I have experienced the barriers that other women face firsthand. One of those barriers is a lack of a safety net for women who need to take time off to assume caregiving responsibilities. Over 10 million workers left the workforce during 2020 due to caregiving responsibilities, with Black caregivers - like me - facing a disproportionate amount of pressure to leave the workforce.

At some point, everyone will need to take time off work for a family emergency or to provide care for a loved one. The problem is that as a small business owner, I do not get to do that because I do not have a safety net in any way. I urge you to support paid family and medical leave because no one should have to choose between having a stable income or caring for a parent - this is a critical investment small business owners and their families need to thrive.

My father was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 liver cancer. What I know is that I will try my best to be there for him, but I absolutely do not know what this means for me and my business. How will providing care for him impact my business decisions?

As a small business owner, I had to account for everything when I started my business. But this is not something I could account for in a business plan. Having a safety net will help me plan around uncertainties. I would be able to take time off and accompany him to appointments without worrying about my income. I would be able to focus on caregiving without sacrificing my mental health.

I started House of Gristle to have more freedom, pursue my passions, and create change in my community in a way that I want to. Being an entrepreneur should not come with a cost to my safety net. The change I want to create in the community of women in the culinary industry can be better supported by legislation that addresses the racial and gender gaps when it comes to caregiving. The pandemic has shown that we need to reinvest in small businesses by prioritizing the care economy and getting paid family and medical leave passed.