Several Lower East Side restaurants participated in yesterday’s, “A Day Without Immigrants,” a protest of Donald Trump’s policies and vitriol. One local business that attracted a lot of national attention for its decision to close for the day was Norfolk Street’s La Contenta.
Co-owner Luis Arce-Mota talked to several news organizations about his decision to take part in the national boycott. A sign posted in the window of the restaurant read, “We stand 100% with our team.” Mota told the Associated Press, “Everyone in the restaurant is an immigrant, so we have a duty to close.” He added, “Without them we are nothing.”
La Contenta opened two years ago at 102 Norfolk St. In an interview with The Lo-Down in 2015, Mota talked about his roots. Originally from Mazatlán, Mexico, he moved to this country in 1992. Mota, a longtime resident of the Seward Park Cooperative, is now an American citizen.
You can watch the AP interview below and, by all means, pay a visit to La Contenta if you haven’t already. It’s a great restaurant, one of our favorites in the neighborhood.
