Meet Anna Sotto | Supporter of Underserved Restaurant Owners in San Diego

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anna Sotto and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anna, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
Research shows that immigrants and marginalized groups often turn to self-employment due to barriers in the traditional job market. These barriers—such as racial discrimination, language barriers, exploitation in low-quality jobs, and undervalued skills—not only push them into entrepreneurship but also make sustaining their businesses difficult. Lack of personal connections and racial discrimination may limit access to financing, favorable lease agreements, and other key opportunities. Language barriers, cultural differences and technical lag make it difficult to navigate bureaucracy, hire/retain staff, and brand/market effectively.

Even with good financial management, inadequate access to funding/support can lead to equipment and technology inefficiencies, staff retention issues, unappealing storefront and interiors, an outdated concept/brand/menu, work-life imbalance, physical and mental health unwellness and more.

To address these challenges, government and community stakeholders must develop tailored support to help these businesses thrive. Supporting marginalized groups benefits everyone, as small businesses are crucial to local economies, creating two-thirds of jobs over the past 25 years.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Akitso is a nonprofit organization focused on empowering underserved small business owners in the food and beverage industry by providing concept design, business development, and operational support. Our mission is to nurture genuine cultural exchange and cultivate more inclusive communities by removing institutional barriers in food & hospitality.

What sets Akitso apart is our focus on supporting indie, small-scale restaurant owners who often don’t have access to the same resources as their larger competitors. In San Diego, the dining scene is incredibly vibrant and competitive. While some restaurants start with millions in capital and a network of established support, many of the places that give our city its unique flavor operate with much less. We are committed to leveling the playing field for these smaller establishments.

Akitso officially became a nonprofit earlier this year, but the inspiration for it stems from my personal experience growing up in my family’s restaurant. As the daughter of Thai immigrants, I saw firsthand the struggles my parents faced—navigating language barriers, access to capital, and the complexities of the business landscape. The challenges we faced inspired me to create a support system for others like my parents.

Building Akitso has been an incredibly rewarding journey, but it came with its challenges. As a new nonprofit, we had to overcome the hurdles of establishing credibility and gaining the trust of the communities we aim to serve. Many small business owners in this space are often skeptical of external support, either because they’ve been overlooked in the past or simply don’t have the time to explore resources beyond their day-to-day operations. As result, we are focusing our efforts on building authentic relationships first—collaborating with other community organizations to get a better understanding of the nuances in priorities and challenges within all the diverse communities across San Diego. The goal is to find a more tailored approach to meet specific needs of diverse business owners.

One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned along the way is the immense power of collaboration. There is far too much work to be done in isolation, and the impact multiplies when we pool our resources, knowledge, and strengths. It’s about working together—leveraging each other’s expertise to drive real change.

What I want the world to know is that Akitso is not just about providing services—it’s about creating a lasting impact by empowering these small business owners to write their own success stories and preserve their cultural identities through food.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’ll pick her up from the airport in the morning, pick up a coffee from Bird Rock Coffee Roaster in Little Italy, and walk along the water towards Seaport! If she’s not in the mood for a stroll, we’d opt for Longplay Studio instead – enjoying an easy morning with expertly brewed coffee over music.

Lately, I’ve been obsessed with beading. So I’d take us to Lost Cities Bead Shop in Old Town. She’d pick out a few beads and perhaps the staff there can send us with materials to make a necklace out of it. We’ll probably complete the project somewhere along Sunset Cliffs, if the weather permits – a little dip in the ocean too! Hopefully, I remembered to pick up a bottle from Clos Wine Shop the night before, so we could enjoy a lovely glass of wine while we’re at it.

For dinner, maybe something in Convoy District! Robataya Oton would be the ideal place for us to grab sushi and catch up in a cozy, laid back atmosphere. If there’s room for drinks – Realm of the 52 Remedies is a very fun speakeasy. But if reservations are too fussy, we’ll head to Camellia Rd for boba.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to the Thai Temple in Berkeley, CA, also known as Wat Mongkolratanaram. When my parents first arrived in the U.S., it was through the temple that my mom found a sense of community and belonging, even though she was 8,000 miles away from home.

The temple, along with my family’s restaurant, played a significant role in shaping my identity. It’s the reason I’m bilingual, proud of my heritage, and confident in embracing my cultural differences, even when they made me stand out from my classmates. It connected me to food, culture, and community—values that are deeply woven into who I am and the foundation of Akitso.

While Wat Mongkolratanaram is primarily a place of worship, for my family and many others, it was a cultural center. Even though we weren’t Buddhist, the temple community embraced us and shared all it had to offer. It’s home to the Thai Cultural Council, which runs programs teaching children traditional Thai dance and music on weekends, and offers language classes in the summer. Every Sunday, the temple transforms into a bustling Thai food market, where Berkeley locals come together—a beautiful intersection of culture, food, and community. The temple has been a cornerstone in my life, and I’m deeply grateful for the sense of identity and belonging it gave me.

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