TESTIMONY
Testimony by Francisca Jimenez: The Struggles of a Single Mother Vendor
3:37:40
·
3 min
Francisca Jimenez, an immigrant and single mother from Ecuador, shares her story of vending on the Brooklyn Bridge and how recent restrictions have impacted her livelihood. Selling as a vendor salesman was her primary means of supporting her two children. With vending restrictions in place, she expresses profound sadness over her inability to provide for her family, highlighting the desperate situation faced by immigrant vendors like her who rely on street vending as their only source of income.
Speaker 27
3:37:40
Okay?
Speaker 11
3:37:56
And so she doesn't she doesn't feel very bad.
3:38:14
Good afternoon.
3:38:15
My name is Francisco Jimenez.
3:38:17
And one of the members of the bender seltamines, you know, is 3 seltamines.
3:38:23
And I'm working also I was working also on the Brooklyn Bridge.
3:38:26
And I have been selling produce for some time.
3:38:34
Okay.
Speaker 22
3:38:53
Okay.
Speaker 11
3:38:57
Yes.
3:38:58
And an immigrant woman and a mother or 2 children, and originally from Ecuador, from Northern South America.
3:39:05
And please understand that for me, it's very difficult to work you are not you are not able to find a job.
3:39:11
This is the only job I have as working as a sales moment.
3:39:15
And also, I'm bringing the daily bread to my home also in order to help my children and to help my family.
3:39:22
And a single mother, I don't have support from my husband.
3:39:25
Okay.
3:39:26
1.
3:39:39
And
Speaker 43
3:39:51
Okay.
Speaker 11
3:40:03
Okay.
3:40:04
And struggling financially, miss many members of the committee, I used please understand and a and a and a and a very hardworking woman, but unable to sell anything because they don't allow me to and anything in the bush anymore.
3:40:19
I was bringing the daily bread right to our family there.
3:40:23
And sometimes they were waiting for me with the babysitter, and they were asked give me mother, whether you dream for us today, and I I and the money I was making was not even enough to pay the rent of my apartment And this is why that's why I'm so sad and I'm feeling so bad.
3:40:39
Right?
3:40:46
Please take.
3:40:47
Sorry.
3:40:47
Some grammar mistake, my apologies.
3:40:49
Okay.
3:40:50
I'm very sad about this because I was helping my family financially.
3:40:54
I'm not able to do it anymore.
3:40:56
I'm not even able to pay my own rent and and also a single mother.
3:41:00
So this is even more difficult for me.
3:41:12
Thank you for the allowing us to speak with all of you and to let us raise our voice about the serious matter that's happening.
Speaker 1
3:41:19
Thank you so much for coming to the council today.
3:41:22
We appreciate it.