The CHAAD project is an organization created by and for hospitality workers in Chicago to advance accountability and end labor abuses within the industry.

Who is CHAAD?

Our Story

The Chicago Hospitality Accountability & Advocacy Database emerged in June 2020. It was initially a spreadsheet designed to keep track of local establishments’ ethical practices. The database was to be used as a tool to find businesses that stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, adhere to COVID-19 guidelines, have multiple employee complaints, which ones have owners who are white supremacists, and more. Though the spreadsheet is now retired, we continue collecting data on the Chicago hospitality industry and using the information as a resource for workers.

Our Values

  • A Delicious Life

    Everyone deserves to have their basic needs met and a joyous existence.

  • Community First

    Our work is for and informed by those who can best imagine the way forward.

  • Growth Focused

    Remain curious and implement new learnings.

  • Radical Minded

    The status quo must be abolished. We aim to live in the future we imagine.

Our Process

We meet regularly via video chat to set goals, delegate projects, and brainstorm new ideas. We are always looking for people to help and get involved. Various skills are welcome, but we are particularly interested in finance, Spanish translation, legal, data entry, website maintenance, social media, and research skills. We work at an agile, gentle pace towards our mission, practicing the work culture we want to see implemented throughout the industry. 

At CHAAD, we are curious about using data and worker experiences to shift culture. What questions can we ask to find solutions to the unique challenges of our industry? We see more opportunities to educate, empower, and uplift as we learn more. We aim to expand our knowledge around what people genuinely need and create content, connections, and resources to support our community.

Our Community Norms

  • I commit to protecting the confidentiality of our space

  • I commit to asking permission before sharing any information freely in the group

  • I commit to collective decision-making

  • I commit to valuing, supporting, and lifting others

  • I commit to changing the hospitality industry for the benefit of all workers

  • QTBIPOC voices to the front. Meaning we all commit to prioritizing space and airtime for the voices of queer, trans, black, and indigenous folks of color during this discussion. Practically, for folks who don’t hold those identities, this means monitoring your airtime, making sure you are not speaking over, speaking for, or restating the ideas of QTBIPOC, etc, and calling in others if they engage in these behaviors. Move up, move back.

  • Challenge the idea, not the person. Commit to dialogue. The goal isn’t complete agreement but to challenge each other from a place of care and curiosity. This is how we learn and grow together and how we invest in each other.

  • Questions are welcome. If there is a term or idea you do not understand, feel free to flag it in the chat or interrupt for more information. None of us has all the answers. Let’s cultivate a safe place to ask questions and learn.

  • I commit to being brave about expressing my unique needs and the way I process information while remaining generous and patient in acknowledging and supporting the needs of those around me.

Meet the Team

  • Raeghn Draper (they/them)

    Executive Director

    With over 12 years of experience in restaurants as a dishwasher, cook, server, host, and bartender, they weave a working-class experience throughout their work. Raeghn, a Chicago-based storyteller, digital strategist, and community organizer, crafts compelling language that breathes life into powerful experiences and campaigns. They are passionate about advocating for hospitality workers and challenging toxic structures in the industry. Their inspiration comes from diverse perspectives and utilizes the world around them.

    Follow Raeghn on linkedin.

  • Molly Pachay (she/her)

    Director of Community Engagement and Strategic Partnerships

    For the past 9 years, Molly has worked every front of house position (and some BOH!) in a multitude of hospitality establishments, spanning James Beard Award-winning restaurants to the local dive bar. Her background in sociology and her lived experience as the child of a restaurant worker inform her work as Director of Community Engagement and Strategic Partnerships at CHAAD, driving grassroots organizing projects and strengthening ties with other organizations invested in bettering the hospitality industry. Outside of her work with CHAAD, Molly is an avid cook, doting cat mom, and quintessential Aries.

    Follow @mollypaohay on instagram or linkedin.

  • Danny Kavanagh (They/Them)

    Director of Design & Accessibility

    Danny has 10 years of design agency experience and previous line cook experience. Now that they are freelance they’re making up for the corporate ick by working only with those challenging the current system.

    Follow along at @prettybad_danny on instagram or linkedin.

Follow us @thechaadproject

 
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