Ambassadors of the Recovery: Corner Stores and Street Vendors in South LA Pull Together to Support Community

By Erika Hernandez

Patty Archuletta was overwhelmed with joy. On a sunny Tuesday afternoon, she watched as her community came together at Emma’s Meat Market to distribute over 200 boxes of food to families affected by Covid-19.

A few weeks before, Patty, a leader in the street vendor community who sells used clothing on the corner of 31th and San Pedro in South LA, felt quite the opposite -- abandoned. Covid-19 has hit her community hard, with sickness and layoffs consuming many folks. Small businesses were struggling to survive, and her own sales dropped nearly in half.

Patty was desperate to support the vendors in her corridor when she reached out to my colleague Maribel. As a Semi’a Fund client, Patty had received low-interest capital and business coaching, and knew that Maribel would have ideas for how to help. Unbeknownst to Patty, Maribel was already in communication with other Semi’a Fund clients, Emma’s Meat Market owners Juan and Irene Vazquez, because Worldwide Produce was donating 210 boxes of produce and groceries to them to distribute to families affected by Covid-19. Once Maribel shared that with Patty, Patty couldn’t believe it.

The relationship between street vendors and brick and mortar small businesses is a rocky one. Some brick and mortars have advocated against allowing street vendors to work in front of their stores because they believe it hurts their businesses. These attitudes have been partly driven by the government’s choice to delay and halt the inclusion of street vendors in the formal economy, and the clear unequal treatment between brick and mortars and street vendors. For example, not only were street vendors originally left out of LA’s Al Fresco program, which allows restaurants to expand their outdoor dining areas, most LA food street vendors are can face criminal charges if they continue their operations. However, the pandemic has brought “unlikely” allies together in a beautiful display of community and solidarity.

When Emma's Meat Market, located on San Pedro Street, stepped up to host a distribution, they still needed volunteers. The street vendors on 31st and San Pedro were the perfect partners. Juan and Irene saw the event as a blessing for the South LA community, no matter if you were a brick and mortar business, street vendor, customer, or community member. Most aid distribution happens in locations away from their clients, causing additional access issues like transportation and time off. Juan and Irene had already witnessed clients leave food items because they couldn’t afford them, and they themselves were struggling to afford healthy foods to offer to their customers. By hosting the distribution in their own community, Juan and Irene were filling a gap in services.

Juan and Irene Vazquez with their daughters, Erika and Sandra.

After partnering, Juan, Irene and Patty leapt into action. In just two days, they recruited volunteers, distributed flyers, secured tables and canopies, and organized a plan for the day-of distribution event.

“It was a wonderful thing. I was so proud to organize the distribution. I had never done anything like this before,” Patty said.

Patty was nervous on the day of the event. This was an important project she was co-leading and she didn’t want to let anyone down. The distribution time was changed that same morning, but Patty, Juan, Irene and the volunteers were ready early to make sure they were prepared.

The distribution was set to take place from 2 p.m. until supplies ran out, but the volunteers started distributing boxes to people walking by around 1 p.m. One person was pleasantly surprised to find milk in the food box - it meant they wouldn’t have to spend precious dollars on essential items.

“I had no other motive to do this but to help the people that I work with everyday,” said Patty. “That day, people looked at me with so much respect. I have never felt that. It was nice to know I helped and they were grateful.”

Juan agreed. “I have never seen anything like it and that it was so amazing to see people extremely happy getting the boxes,” he said.

Given the resources and encouragement, entrepreneurs like Patty, Juan and Irene will step up to lead community initiatives that could help hundreds of families, and do it in a way that best serves their own community. Government officials should take note. Community leaders’ power and determination are important assets in the fight against poverty and in helping communities of color thrive, especially during this pandemic when resources aren’t reaching those with the most need.

Patty was so excited and busy that she forgot to take a box for herself. In the box delivery truck, there was a bag of oranges that the volunteers later shared. The oranges were cold, juicy and sweet - the perfect treat to toast to a successful day full of collective power.

Watch the coverage of the day of distribution below created by Jon Endow.

Photos by Jon Endow