Voces Ciudadanas Inc

Voces Ciudadanas is organizing immigrant street vendors in Sunset Park. We are building a people-powered campaign led by vendors so they can continue selling without being harassed and supporting their families with dignity and respect. We need your support to continue organizing street vendors in 2026. 

To support her family, Marta sells food and handcrafts in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. She would like to have a license to sell, but she can’t. New York City capped street vending licenses more than 3 decades ago and there is no way for her and other vendors to obtain a license. So, Marta has to sell without a license and risk facing harassment from law enforcement and high fines. In her words: 

“Cuando hay policías la experiencia es inquietante, incómoda y vergonzosa. Te hace sentir que estás robando pero estás trabajando.”

(“When the police are around the experience is uneasy, uncomfortable and shameful. They make you feel like you’re stealing, but you’re working”)

Hardworking people should not have to feel this way just to support their families. That’s why Voces Ciudadanas has been organizing vendors in Sunset Park and joined the citywide Street Vendor Coalition. We want the City to change its obsolete street vending system so that those who sell in the streets can do so without fear and with dignity. 

For the past year, we have gone out to the streets to let street vendors know that they have rights. We have met with vendors to strategize on how to interact with law enforcement. We have gone to City Hall to demand the City Council to change the current street vending system that criminalizes hard working vendors. 

We need to raise $10,000 to continue this work in 2026.

Invest in our power building work this Giving Tuesday by pledging $50, $100, $250, $500 or any amount you wish. All your donations will be used to continue our work with street vendors.