OWS Teams Up with the Street Vendor Project
Posted 13 years ago on Nov. 7, 2011, 9:23 a.m. EST by OccupyWallSt
New Partnership Allows OWS Supporters to Purchase Food from Local Street Vendors, to Donate to the Protest
In the wake of the NYPD's escalating harassment of street cart vendors, Occupy Wall Street (OWS) and the Street Vendor Project have teamed up to create an online donation platform for street vendors who call Liberty Square (aka Zuccotti Park) their home. Through the website, supporters across the country and around the world can view vendor profiles and purchase food to be donated to the People's Kitchen at OWS.
New York City street vendors, as small business entrepreneurs, represent a diverse cross-section of the 99%. Through this platform, vendors will be able to participate in the growing excitement of the OWS movement and contribute to sustaining it.
"City street vendors are no strangers to police harassment and excessive fines," said Sean Bazinski of the Street Vendor Project, which advocates for the city's 10,000 vendors. "Last week the FDNY abruptly seized a generator from a legally-permitted street vendor in Zuccotti Park — that’s just one example of an all-too-common trend of harassment of vendors that hampers their ability to pursue their own livelihood and make an honest living."
The Street Vendor Project (http://streetvendor.org/), part of the non-profit Urban Justice Center, organizes and represents the thousands of people that sell food and merchandise on our city's streets and sidewalks.
To the skeptics: this is a good thing, for everyone in the area. One of the endlessly-repeated right wing lies about OWS is that we somehow hurt local businesses. Supposedly the barricades put in place to pen us in have kept traffic flowing smoothly to local businesses. This is total bullshit - if anyone actually knows the geography of the site, it makes no sense. The pens are put only around Zuccotti Park, which takes up the whole block - the only businesses would be on the alternate sides of each of the streets that surround it. But there aren't really any small businesses there, either (there are a few banks, an apartment building, and one or two chain stores on one side). The only small business owners who have complained about how we've supposedly damaged their businesses are several blocks away (like this guy: http://gothamist.com/2011/11/01/wall_street_restaurant_owner_lays_o.php . While I'm on it, let's look at this, which is a perfect example of right wing BS: on the one hand, we're somehow considered fools by some right wingers because we're not actually on Wall St., and, on the other hand, we're destroying businesses that are on Wall St., which, as they say, we are not actually occupying...). The only barricades put on other streets still have openings at each of the street corners - which means the only people they're prohibiting from easy access to stores are jaywalkers.
So let me get to the point: the only small businesses that would have been hurt in any way by the Zuccotti Park occupation are street vendors. So here's our chance to help them out (if we were even taking their business away from them in the first place- I eat from them almost every day I'm down there (I'm sure I'll get some right wing nut's blood up by saying I'm getting addicted to Halal chicken... there I go discrediting the movement again...), and I've bought food from the farmer's market, as did the OWS kitchen). If we were hurting the Greenmarket, this is the best way to redress the situation. This initiative may not be part of the larger goals of Occupy, but it doesn't hurt, either, and it's necessary to counter the right-wing BS rhetoric.
Thanks for your explanation.... as someone who IS at OWS regularly!! I knew the claims of hurting businesses had to be bullshit. Of course, the right wingers still will dismiss what you have said (even though you have seen proof of it first hand).
I had thought before OWS started getting accused of ruining business in the area that it actually would INCREASE business.
In that article I posted a link to, you can see the layout. They have the guy who made the complaint posing in front of the park, and you can see how isolated it is from the businesses. I did hear that the Greenmarket had some problems, and I feel bad about that. But I don't exactly know the story, since the person making the complaint posted a link to a page that didn't actually say anything about their being closed down. The first day I went I bought a ton of veggies from them at the recommendation of the Occupy kitchen, though, so I'm not sure what the issue is. I would feel bad if they had been driven out, but this seems to be a reasonable redress to the situation. As for the other businesses, I can't believe at all that there have been problems. The park is so crowded that movement is impossible - there are well over a thousand people passing through there every day, and people are saying that it's hurting business? Give me a break.
Yeah.... as if all those people aren't going to eat at all and aren't going to buy from places close by!!
yes, utter bullshite. the cafe that claimed to have had to fire 40+ people is on Wall Street, way down, like 6 blocks away from the park... i don't get how they can even suggest that OWS had anything to do with it. If anything, there is more foot traffic(read: customers) down that end by the meetings at the ATrium at 60 Wall. .. the barricades that are in front of the stock exchange have ALWAYS been there to protect the holiness that is them...and the food trucks at the perimeter of Z park are hopping! You are right, it is all the stupid main stream media trying to demonize OWS.
You guys are amazing. This is our future society. A future of cooperation and caring. Good work! :O)
yay, remember to replant your garden of eden this spring, we will emerge free! Plant seeds for fruit and vegetables all over your neighborhoods, on roof tops and all across the earth.
www.hulu.com/watch/151119/the-end-of-poverty
the beginning is here.
"Plant seeds for fruit and vegetables all over your neighborhoods, on roof tops and all across the earth. " This is my dream for more than 10 years.
Green roofs are a great idea for this and also to cut energy costs.
"Also known as “living roofs”, green roofs serve several purposes for a building, such as absorbing rainwater, providing insulation, creating a habitat for wildlife, and helping to lower urban air temperatures and combat the heat island effect. There are two types of green roofs: intensive roofs, which are thicker and can support a wider variety of plants but are heavier and require more maintenance, and extensive roofs, which are covered in a light layer of vegetation and are lighter than an intensive green roof."
CBS LA reports (via):
:) :) and after they take down the big bad bankers they can go help the middle east settle their differences. Don't worry about the massive debt that is in fact our future
It seems like the middle east is taking matters in to their own hands.
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thanks OWS - a nice boon for the vendors who have shown their support right along - I have made a point to buy from the vendors when I visited and it was delicious - bon appetite!! - bon courage!!
Wow--OWS just combined public relations, donations to OWS, and support to some of the local 99% who fight the same 1% all in one action--it's brilliant--again!!! Wonderful. THANK YOU.
I would feel much safer donating through PayPal than sending my personal info into cyberspace.
If people were to get ripped off through this it would be a huge scandal that would be used to discredit the movement
I can not say enough good things about Urban Justice Center who are the home to street vendor project. They're run by lawyers, I'm confident no donations will go amiss. (I've volunteered time and donated what money I could spare to them over the last five plus years.)
Thanks for taking the time to let me know your experience
i'm so glad this is in place. was down @ occupywallst saturday. Everyone looked rag-tag and fragmented. They need help. I will contribute.
While real news breaks we get only Herman Cane scandal stories, Michael Jackson doctor trials, and Lindsay Lohan's latest escapades with a broom handle.
No wonder we're so dumb.
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/11/7/israel_intercepts_gaza_bound_flotilla_dozen
Since the 'Council'.. the #ows has evolved Very Nicely.. Well Done All!
Kudos.. and Keep it up!
Good news....
Someone should produce an OWS street vendor version of "Iron Chef". Chairman Kaga is still alive.
"ALLEZ CUISINE"!
A good way to avoid bad press so that Bloomberg can start throwing darts.
What a great initiative. Urban Justice Center is an amazing organization.
The donation page is insecure. It needs SSL protection. Please have webmaster correct this problem.
I have a question , when you say team up. Does that mean you'll team up to throw blood , and urine on vendors carts ?
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/11/07/socal-street-cart-vendors-hurting-after-occupy-group-splatters-blood-urine/
Who's doing the harassment of street cart vendor ?
Fix your site to use HTTPS. I wont donate until you do.
While I support OWS and the message, I also cannot ignore the fact that SOME occupiers are nuts. Look at San Diego... Yes, yes, OWS is not Occupy SanDiego... the point still remains. The vast majority of people will associate the San Diego protesters who bit the hands that literally feed them with OWS. You people need to start condemning actions like that, as well as getting the word out that not only will it not be tolerated, but that you will hand deliver the offenders to Police. It's one thing to protest, it's quite another to spread possibly infectious fluids and not only NOT denounce it, but say absolutely nothing about it... Please fix this, or you will loose your support. I personally would prefer this protest had an impact other than a State of Emergency and then a Dictatorship because the powers that be feel that they can get away with it because the Occupiers are all violent. This of course is not the case, but PERCEPTION is king.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I've gone to your Street Vendor Donation Site and I note that it is not an https site: the s meaning secure. Perhaps the information posted to the site will become Public. I suggest OWS check into this BEFORE something bad happens in the name of the 99%. I'm Proud of you all.
I can not say enough good things about Urban Justice Center who are the home to street vendor project. They're run by lawyers, I'm confident no donations will go amiss. (I've volunteered time and donated what money I could spare to them over the last five plus years.) That said, perhaps someone should call them first and alert them to the security concern at the website. I'm sure they could also handle donations over the phone? They are THE BEST.
However, if anyone is concerned about sending information over the internet, just telephone it in to them.
Perfect. Keep this going. What a great partnership!
Every movement worth its salt must have culture: food, music, and ideas!
I worked downtown for years. Zuccotti Park was always a place to sit for lunch with the convenience of vendor carts of delicious food surrounding the park. After business hours it was empty. I visited Liberty Square last Thursday night, and there were vendor carts surrounding the well organized crowd, with lines of patrons. So what is the problem? PS: The lunch patrons during the 80s and early 90s would be smoking up openly at lunchtime before going back to the financial markets. I smelled absolutely nothing last Thurs night other than the tasty food from the carts, and tasty food being passed out inside the park. FU Corporate Lap Dogs!!! ;)
I worked downtown for years. Zuccotti Park was always a place to sit for lunch with the convenience of vendor carts of delicious food surrounding the park. After business hours it was empty. I visited Liberty Square last Thursday night, and there were vendor carts surrounding the well organized crowd, with lines of patrons. So what is the problem? PS: The lunch patrons during the 80s and early 90s would be smoking up openly at lunchtime before going back to the financial markets. I smelled absolutely nothing last Thurs night other than the tasty food from the carts, and tasty food being passed out inside the park. FU Corporate Lap Dogs!!! ;)
hey im here to express my opinion i think this is a waste of time.reasons are is you guys are wasting time, trying to change somthing that will not be change.dont over react because i have the right of expressing my opinion.also you guys are protesting the wrong thing its the fedarl goverment because there bills and polices that screwed up our housing market.for example we use to have to put down 25% on a house but now its 0% and all these people is trying to get houses even though they have no money actuly study what you are doing if you would like to debate about this.
also you guys are hypercrites but i might be wrong if you can give me a good reason
also im sorry if i posted this on the wrong forum idk where everything is on here
I am a licensed vendor and I know that generators have been outlawed for years, so the seizure was not outside the law. I have seen that the occupation is hurting the souvenir vendors as well as the food vendors. They should move someplace else. Mobility is one of the great things about having a vending business. If things go bad where you work, move some place else. If your business is not thriving, it means you are not needed ,as is the case with food and souvenir vendors at Zuccotti Park. My best to all of them.
Many of the police should recognize they are part of the 99%...right?
urban gorilla gardening! nice ideas =)
As long as street vendors offer safe, legal products and are willing to stand behind what they sell, they should not be harassed or maligned.
Street vendors are a very popular thing in NYC. They are one of the things that define NYC. If they were selling bad products, I don't think they would last too long.
Yes, people tend to put out the good word on good vendors... and the bad word gets out just as fast.
yep
Dear Occupy Wall Street/Street Vendor Project
Did you know that there is a UK band called " BLAME THE BANKERS" who play a mixture of pop, blues, jazz and Latin? They were formed about six months ago and if in NYC would love to play for you - pass it around.
http://www.youtube.com/user/blamethebankers
Good luck and keep it going!
This is a great idea but more info on the donation page on how it works might be helpful to sway hesitant donors. I mean, does the money go directly to the vendor or to OWS? What's the process by which the donation gets actually converted into a meal? Basically is it corruption proof?
And finally, a Paypal (or other non-credit card) alternative would make it a lot easier for many willing foreign donors, whom don't have a credit card (like me), to support this worthy cause and the movement in general.
Stay conscientiously strong.
They're working on the transparency thing. I know it's frustrating now, but you can be sure of some things. There's no administrative costs at all, since there's no real administration; what few jobs there are to do are volunteer anyway - no waste in that department. Distributions for donations are a bit harder to prove, however, since most of the stuff is bought on the fly. There has been some talk of using the money to set up an infrastructure to link the different Occupies, but that one will have to go before the General Assembly. At least you'll be able to see the decisions directly. But for right now, as you'll see if you click on the rules, most of the money goes straight into food expenses as soon as it comes in; the $300k you hear about all the time isn't being stored anywhere - it seems to have been a number that came up at the first accounting, but it's not saved.
beautious
This is a great idea.
Who Will Buy from Celebrate Oliver
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4UblTWMw2c
The Greenmarket farmers that have been a staple every Tuesday at Liberty/Zuccotti have been forced out due to a drop in business and because there is no space to set up due to the sprawl of tents in the park.
I'm not a big believer in prefigurative politics and I don't believe that anyone is creating a new society down there, but if you really believe in what you are promoting, these small local farmers should be given some respect and consideration. Thanks.
More info on the farmers in the link below. http://www.grownyc.org/zuccottigreenmarket
I agree. The last thing you want to do is push out the local farmers. These are the kind of people who will be very valuable in creating a new sustainable future for our food. Please don't disenfranchise them. Keep up the great work you are all doing. We can change the planet and its now or never.
Good Idea. Keep Up the Good Work. Fair-ness.
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Great thinking, and action...a win win solution!
I support the #ows but wonder what the plans are for all the money that has been donated. Why are we not using it to buy from local vendors and local farmers. This should be a no brainer. Keep moving forward. 99%er
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You need hair 4 that
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Can I get some Kimchee and Bulgogi then?
Grow up.
U know what they say kim il dong theres no place like home. Bon voyage
"What is this, North Korea?
Why are you mentioning NK..?
I love chinese
They ought to change the name to Freeloader Cafe.
The freeloaders are Goldman Sachs, Citibank, and the rest of the finacial elite who got billions of taxpayers´ money for free in the 08 bailout.
what´s really interesting about this ”free ride”/"freeloader" - debate is that even though the rich, which the right-wing tend to support, are becoming increasingly wealthy by doing less, the right always turn to the poor and working class when they want to give a speech about getting free rides and stealing the friuts of other people´s labor. Citibank first recieved their taxpayer bailout back in the 80s from Reagan and have since that, along with an increasing number of other corporations received an enormous sum of taxmoney. Is that not stealing the friuts of other people´s labor? And what about, let´s say, indonesian facory girls working 12 hours a day for 50 cents an hour at a Nike- factory so that Phil Knight and the rest of them can sell shoes and equipment for huge profits. Is that not getting a free ride?? Why isn´t this theft adressed by the right-wing? The rich, which have become rich mostly by pushing a few buttons at a computer at Wall Street, and/or exploiting workers in the US and all over the world, which isn`t exactly hard work, are being given more and more tax breaks and benefits by politicians, yet the right wing have the balls to criticize sick people for getting their medical bills covered by the government. To put it this way, as long as the wealthy are getting more and more recourses into their hands by doing very little, people should have no right lecturing the working class and poor for asking for welfare programs.
Agreed. The right wing, as a whole, is completely delusional and is in denial. And people wonder why I detest it so.
lol
I'am sorry, but even though I support OWS's cause overall I think you guys should feed yourself! Especially knowing what your bank account is although I do not feel donations should be used for food but to rent halls for assemblies (you need to get out of public places that belong to everyone , going to the streets handing out informative flyers, protesting w/o violence and attracting the 99%. Instead you guys are becoming an irritation to the public by blocking doors, ports etc. hurting the 99%. I am sorry no more money from me. Feed yourself!
The U.S. Constitution grants the right to ALL of its citizens to assemble peaceably..... in PUBLIC spaces. Get a clue.
Additionally, homeless people including thousands of Americans who have been screwed by this economy that have lost their jobs, homes and lives living or trying to live in "tent cities" are consistently being shut down. Google tent cities in america 2011 http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/08/11/economic-woes-lead-to-proliferation-tent-cities-nationwide/ See above for my ideas on how to spend the half million that OWS NY has in their bank accounts. OWS NY is living in public spaces rent free and expect everything to be given to them FREE! Excuse me ...
Assembly not camping!!!! Not even the homeless are allowed to sleep in public areas where I live. You get a clue.
@Karenpoore, be a good sport. In the future all communities across America will be holding general assemblies and shaping laws that favor the people and not big corporations.
It is getting really hard to continue my support of a lot of the people in this movement. I was so excited when OWS started and very proud of our young people, but with what I am reading and viewing lately is pushing me away as well as others.
It means your getting better....The brainwashing is wearing off....Good for you
Lonestar croney1
No, it is the majority of the 99% that are brainwashed, but yes, I am becoming disillusioned regarding a lot of the people involved in OWS who have no idea how serious not only the USA, but the world's financial, corruption etc. situation is.
I think the protest is what we make of it because we shape the protest if something isn't working for you try putting out a way to change it. Im trying to push for protesting through finances like buying EFT index funds or convincing a well off person to support the movement. The Index funds are less volatile investment that brings stability to the market and takes the large bonuses out of wall street. Having well off supporters is along the lines of enemy of my enemy way of thinking. Seems Im rambling now sorry my point is we are the 99% if the protest is moving in the wrong direction help direct them onto a different path. Thank you for your insight hearing wisdom of older generation is always good to hear.
I highly doubt that you donated anything. troll.
Sorry, but you are wrong. First I am not a troll, but a 64 year old woman living in Austin, Tx., Second I donated $50 to you guys and a $160 tent to Occupy Austin. How much have you donated?
@karenpoore: No doubt this is an effort for them to feed themselves. I'm sure there are entrepreneurial port blockers that want to feed themselves. Btw, if you think that blocking the ports hurts the 99%, you do not support the movement. You sound old enough to think long-term. Please.
My My …A disgruntled protester….That seems to be going around more and more...Go figure
Oh look the annoying troll is back again. How many times does your account have to be deleted before you realize you are in a place that you don't belong. Are you anti movement dickheads really that bored that you have to come on a site that you don't support and talk shit? Go over to fox news.com shitstain. They will gladly listen to your rhetoric.
And they accuse the OWS protesters of being lazy mooches who don't work!
Actually, often they are paid to do this. I guess we can file this under the Jay Gould maxim: you can always pay one half of the working class to kill the other half. And if any of the trolls aren't getting paid - seriously, guys, you're clearly not the rugged, self-reliant individualists you'd like to think you are; the other trolls are collecting checks!
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