Street vendors march to City Hall demanding fairness

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Street vendors from across New York City marched through to City Hall Thursday, demanding new laws to protect their small businesses. They believe these changes are essential to ensuring their livelihoods. Calvin Baker, a street vendor from Harlem, was among those leading the charge. As the group marched from Union Square to the gates of City Hall, Baker and his fellow vendors chanted, "Street Vendor Power!" urging the City Council to act swiftly. "I’ve been trying to get a vending license for maybe 30 years," said Baker. He sells goods on West 125th Street in Harlem, but like many others without a license, he says he faces constant harassment from the NYPD and the Department of Sanitation. "They write you a ticket from anywhere from $50 to $1,000. Now, let’s say I’m making $50 to $60 a day and I’m doing that to pay my rent, to buy food—how am I going to make it?" Baker questioned. The group is advocating for the Street Vendor Reform Package, which includes four new bills. These proposed laws aim to make it easier for vendors to obtain licenses, reduce fines, and ensure fair treatment. Advocates believe these measures could prevent incidents like the one where a 15-year-old and her mother were arrested in Battery Park for not having a permit. "We have a waiting list. We have limits on the number of licenses being issued. We need the licenses to be streamlined, we need to eliminate the waiting lists, we need all these vendors to have access to these licenses," said Mohamed Attia, managing director of the Street Vendor Project. City Council Member Pierina Ana Sanchez a sponsor of one of the bills echoed the vendors' calls for action. "These bills together represent the future for NYC, a future that has our streets organized, a future where we can all share our sidewalks, a future where there is just treatment for our street vendors," Sanchez stated. "At the end of the day, we’re just trying to earn the American Dream like every other person in America," added Baker. Street vendors like Calvin Baker are hopeful that the City Council will hold hearings on these bills and implement changes that allow them to work without fear of punishment. "