Good Brands: Roads & Kingdoms, and The Anti-ICE Supper Club
- Feb 18
- 6 min read
Roads & Kingdoms is an independent media company where food, travel, and journalism intersect. Last fall I had the chance to help with the launch of their first-ever print magazine, but the ultimate way to experience Roads & Kingdoms is on the road. I've been to Morocco and Asturias with their League of Travelers, and as a writer and traveler who values deep connections and conversations, these trips feel like what I can best describe as living journalism—an intimate group of travelers led through a destination by a local fixer who seems to know all the right people and places. And like any brand I'm proud to support, they regularly put their values into action. Aside from the people they work with and support daily, their partnership with Chef José Andrés directs a portion of their trip profits to World Central Kitchen.
Recently though, I got to experience a different kind of Roads & Kingdoms gathering without leaving the country: the Anti-ICE Supper Club.
With roots so deeply planted in the food scene, the Anti-ICE Supper Club feels like a natural event for R&K. It was created in support of the people who bring such rich, cultural cuisines to this country, and are now being targeted by ICE raids and enforcement crackdowns. To me, it's a powerful example of what's possible when a business leverages its strengths, not just to generate revenue but to generate impact.
This isn't the first time R&K has responded to policy through food. In 2017 they launched the Banned Countries Dinner Series alongside their late creative partner Anthony Bourdain, in response to the Trump administration's travel bans. Those dinners raised funds for organizations like the International Rescue Committee, which coincidentally was the same year that I also found myself drawn to the IRC. The so-called "Muslim ban" led me to join GenR, the IRC's fundraising chapter in Los Angeles, where I volunteered as Communications Chair and even traveled to Myanmar with the organization to see their work in action.
Roads & Kingdoms has been on my radar for years, but looking back this feels like further proof that standing by your values will lead you to your people. Nearly a decade ago we were both drawn to the IRC, separately, simply by responding to injustice we saw happening, and asking what we could do to help. It makes sense that all these years later, we remain aligned in our values and our response to the mistreatment of immigrants and refugees, yet again.
So when Roads & Kingdoms announced this new wave of fundraising dinners to support local organizations defending communities under attack, I didn't hesitate to buy a ticket. I was already scheduled to be back in Los Angeles that week, so I booked my flight a day earlier and attended one of their first events.
The Anti-ICE Supper Club officially launched with two events in LA—the first, an intimate dinner with Michelin-starred Chef Daniel Patterson in a private home, and the second, a sold-out gathering of more than 120 supporters at the iconic Guelaguetza in Koreatown. I attended the latter, which started with an Insiders-only happy hour beforehand, followed by a delicious feast of mole, mezcal, and a vibe that felt both celebratory and defiant, served up by co-owner Bricia Lopez and her team.
Guelaguetza was founded by Bricia's father in 1994, and it quickly turned into a staple for Oaxacan food and culture in Los Angeles before her and her siblings took over almost two decades later. Hearing her speak about her own experience of building a life in the United States was a moving reminder about what the entire evening was all about—the people behind the food, the stories they carry across borders, and the cultures that have always shaped this country.
Proceeds from the dinner supported Al Otro Lado, an organization that works with immigrant and refugee families in Southern California and across the border, helping to advocate for those who've been unlawfully deported and fight for due process and human rights. We heard stories of hard-fought (and won!) legal battles, and all of the ways this organization restores safety and dignity for immigrant communities.
But there was one moment in particular that has stayed with me from that evening.
During his speech, Roads & Kingdoms co-founder Nathan Thornburgh shared that when he first asked Bricia to host the Anti-ICE Supper Club, he was cautious.
Nathan asked Bricia "Are you sure you want to host this? It's a controversial name, it could be bad for business..." and her response was "What day?"
Hearing this response hit close to home for me.
Just the week prior I'd shared a blog post about how Trump was the client who pushed me to start Goodera and go all in on myself and the people I believe in. Publicly, it didn't get much attention. But privately? It was the most read blog post I'd ever published, and resulted in more DMs, texts, phone calls, and booked appointments than anything I'd ever shared before. Most of these people were expressing support, but said they didn't feel comfortable doing so publicly since it could be controversial, or put them in a bad light with their own job.
Hearing Bricia answer"what day?" stoked that fire within me that is always burning for good people who are doing good things. That type of clear, values-led courage that doesn't shrink in the face of risk is magnetic to me. It's how you find your people, and it's why I'm so passionate about supporting businesses that choose conviction over comfort, even when there's risk attached. Risk deserves reward.
Good Brands To Support
I'm always proud to share and support businesses and organizations that use their platforms to make a positive impact. If any of these resonate with you, I hope that you'll consider supporting them, too.
If you feel the absence of the barrier-breaking journalistic style that Anthony Bourdain once brought us, you'll want to check out R&K. Co-founders Nathan and Matt have been running R&K for well over a decade, and their talents once managed to capture the attention of Bourdain, to the point where he became a creative partner and investor before his passing. R&K has continued to evolve and grow, pushing boundaries along the way and carrying forth a vision that, even though I didn't know Anthony Bourdain, I feel he would be proud to be part of to this day.
Their Insiders membership is worth exploring if you're interested in food, culture, and great journalism—not just for the content, but for access to food-focused trips and culinary experiences that are, in my opinion after traveling to nearly 40 countries, genuinely unparalleled. I've traveled with them to Morocco and Asturias, so feel free to reach out if you want to know more about what their trips are like. Also, they'll be announcing more Anti-ICE Supper Club events in cities across the country, so keep an eye out for those.
As the first Oaxacan restaurant in Los Angeles, Guelaguetza is a must-visit culinary landmark that has become a staple of Oaxacan food and culture in LA. Founded by an immigrant (Bricia's father) in 1994, the restaurant is now run by Bricia and her siblings, and has earned recognition from the James Beard Foundation and The Michelin Guide. If you’re not local, you can still support them by ordering their products online and bringing a bit of Oaxaca home into your own kitchen.
Al Otro Lado provides free legal and humanitarian support to refugees, deportees, and migrants in the U.S. and Tijuana. Their work centers on building a migration system that is humane and human-centered. At the dinner, we heard stories of legal advocacy helping to win cases and reunite families who'd been separated across borders—a reminder that policy is personal. Everyone has different causes they feel passionate about, but if immigration and human rights are important to you, this is certainly an organization to consider supporting. Their website outlines different ways to get involved ranging from donations to internships to volunteering.
No matter how you choose to get involved, it's important to remember that supporting values-driven businesses and organizations can be as loud or quiet as you're comfortable with. Sometimes it looks like speaking up, protesting, organizing, or putting your name on something publicly. Other times it's choosing where your dollars go, either through donations or the products and services you buy.
However you choose to get involved, big or small, loud or quiet, just remember that choice carries weight.
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