A call for the immediate legalization of street vending

May 28, 2015 STATEMENT by Executive Director Marcos Aguilar to the City of Los Angeles at a hearing of the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council

Semillas del Pueblo calls upon City and County officials to respect culturally based street vending after parent run afterschool corn-on-the-cob cart raided by LACDPH.

On Wednesday May 13, 2015, Semillas Community Schools was unduly targeted by at least two governmental agencies resulting in an unconstitutional and warrantless seizure of private property from the private property of our campus located at 4736 Huntington Drive So., L.A. CA. 90032. No less than half a dozen officials of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health assaulted a school community corn-on-the-cob stand serving culturally based afterschool snacks to our school community members. This action was coordinated with and supported by the Los Angeles Police Department. An excessive congregation of force by the LAPD immediately followed when school officials protested the initial illegal use of force and the search and seizure of private property. Subsequent review of security camera footage owned by the school clearly indicate collusion to distract and disorganize our school personnel through the use of an undercover agent who entered our school facility pretending to be looking for a child on the part of LAPD officers and LACDPH officials. 

The family cooperative preparing culturally-based afterschool snack sales for students of Semillas was targeted by Department of Public Health officials in a heavy handed seizure of private property. Without prior identification, LA County Health Department specialists seized a home-made wooden cart from school property while family members were selling afterschool snacks including flavored shaved ice and corn on the cob. School officials responded calling for respect for parents and children present. Officials refused to dialogue instead confiscated the cart and other personal property. Community members protested the seizure of the private property and demanded its return. Calls were placed to city, county and Public Health officials to demand the return of the property. In the interim, over thirty police officers arrived forcing school officials to move all students in-doors for their safety. Traditional Mexican shaved ice and corn in the cob are longtime staples of local community culture. Parents prepare culturally popular snacks after school to encourage youth to retain a culturally based diet. The school itself does not operate the food sales, instead parents support official school meal programs with alternatives. Due to the school community’s rapid response, Health officials apologized for the confusion and returned the property. Ultimately this ransacking of a neighborhood elotero and the rapid escalation of police force begs the question – since when did our culture become criminalized? Since when have corn sales been treated like a drug deal? On what basis does LACDPH allege that our local elotero is affiliated with a gang cartel? The incident was an unconscionable violation of our civil rights and a serious violation of trust in our school community. We call for the immediate legalization of street vending with financial support and legal counseling for cultural food vendors to continue to help make our communities vibrant places people want to live and learn.