Most of us in the general L.A. area, know of, buy from or know someone who is a street vendor. All over L.A. we have our “paleteros”, “eloteros”, “raspados”, fruit, hot dog, pupusas; and who can forget, taco vendors, and many of these hard working people are often harassed by the authorities for not having permits to sell their goods.
On June 16th, Street vendors and community members joined, Grammy® Award winning East L.A. band, Quetzal and East LA Community Corporation (ELACC) in a screening and live performance of their new music video “Coyote Hustle,” a song from the band’s latest album Quetzanimales (Artivist Entertainment).
Filmmakers Akira Boch and Francisco Hernandez, who have worked with Quetzal on various projects, including the 2002, “Jarocho Elegua” music video, directed “Coyote Hustle”. The song depicts the realities and struggles faced by street vendors in Los Angeles, the only major city in the United States without a formal vendor permit process. The video release will be coupled with food, art, activism and song making with Quetzal band members.
There are currently 50,000 street vendors that call Los Angeles their home and their place of business. Currently, these vendors are working in the shadows due to outdated LA municipal code and unfair enforcement. The Los Angeles Street Vendor Campaign has been organizing to Legalize Street Vending in Los Angeles since 2008, yet most vendors have been fighting for survival for many decades.
Although there is support at city council, the urgency of the situation is not yet felt by those that create laws, enforce laws and prosecute against the vendors. Since December 2014 thousands of street vendors in Los Angeles have seen an increase in criminalization. Despite street vendors and advocates making pleas to LAPD as well as City Attorney Mike Feuer, vendors continue to be marginalized and criminalized. Hardworking people continue to have their livelihood taken away and their dreams shattered.
The recent effort led by The Los Angeles Street Vendor Campaign has been working with thousands of street vendors, community members and allies in order to ensure that street vending is no longer banned in the city of Los Angeles. The effort to legalize street vending is pushing to ensure that city council legalizes street vending while creating a permit program for these entrepreneurs.
Quetzal joins the efforts of #LAStreetVendors bringing their music and storytelling talents in order to expand awareness on the issue and the need for legalization. Mariposa Gonzalez, a street vendor featured in the video states “I am glad that we have been able to partner with the Quetzal team. There are thousands of people who haven’t heard our story but will be able to connect through the video. Next, we need them to join the movement.”
Join the #LAStreetVendor movement and become an ally by taking action and participating in advocacy efforts. For upcoming events and community meetings about the street vendor policy please follow the link: http://bit.ly/LAStreetVendorCommunityHearings
Quetzal information available at: http://quetzanimales.com
“Coyote Hustle”, and other songs from Quetzanimales, can be downloaded at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/quetzal1/CoyoteHustle
*Photos: Akira Boch
