Here in New York City, street vendors held a “sleepout” and rally in front of Governor Kathy Hochul’s office, calling for her to lift a cap on licenses for sellers. Thousands of street vendors, the majority of them from immigrant communities, are unlicensed and vulnerable to hefty fines or harassment while working.
Alicia: “Just like you, we are mothers. We have children. We are fighting so you can take action, grant us vendor licenses, so we can live and work with dignity.”
Tuesday’s action was also the kickoff for a 150-mile march from New York City to Albany, where immigrant workers will demand New York state expand funding and protections for those excluded from government pandemic relief in the state budget.