Street vendors have long been part of the fabric of Los Angeles. But beyond the mouth-watering bacon
Street vendors have long been part of the fabric of Los Angeles. But beyond the mouth-watering bacon-wrapped hot dogs, ice cream, sliced fruit and corn on the cob, the scene on Figueroa and several other streets in South L.A. reflects a kind of street vending that often gets overlooked.On the weekends, sidewalks across some parts of the city transform from pedestrian thoroughfares into shopping bazaars – a way for people living on the margins to supplement low-wage jobs. Reporter Ruben Vives and photojournalist Francine Orr recently chronicled the struggles of some street vendors struggling to stay afloat. “I make very little out here. Sometimes I don’t make anything at all.”— Claudia Flores, street vendorAt the corner of Manchester and Figueroa, there was a table with pantalónes vaqueros for sale. Carlos Moreno has sold bluejeans out of his van since he was laid off six years ago from his job as a custodian. In a good month, he pulls in about $300.Down the way near 83rd and Figueroa in South L.A. was Julia Martinez, sitting on a wooden crate. She was trying to raise the $60 her landlord was charging her for being late with rent by selling stuff, including her own clothes. She rents a room for $400 a month. Two months ago, she lost her job as a caregiver. Another vendor, Silvia Salazar, said she sells once a week for the same reason everybody else on Figueroa does: “Pure necessity. You really don’t make a lot out here, but you know what, let’s say I make $30 today, that’s money for at least one bill.”And so that her daughter doesn’t have to struggle the way her mom and dad are. Study hard, she tells her. “She got accepted to USC recently,” mom said with pride. You can read more about the vendors of Figueroa Street here. Photos by Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times -- source link
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