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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Luzuru Chima, Street Vendor from Brooklyn
3:09:02
·
3 min
Luzuru Chima, a street vendor from Brooklyn, testifies about the challenges faced by street vendors and the discrimination they experience. She highlights the importance of customer perspective and the unfair treatment vendors receive from law enforcement and some business owners.
- Chima received three tickets in less than a week, each costing $1000, which she describes as an excessive burden.
- She emphasizes that street vendors are responsible citizens who pay taxes and provide valuable services to the community.
- The testimony includes a plea for understanding and support for street vendors, many of whom are single parents trying to support their families.
UKNOWN
3:09:02
My name is Luzuru Chima.
3:09:08
And I have been a street vendor all my life since my parents taught me how to work.
3:09:15
Brooklyn Sunset Park.
3:09:18
I live in Brooklyn.
3:09:19
I work in Sunset Park.
3:09:23
I sell general things.
3:09:29
you have talked today about a lot of things, but the main issue here Is the customer.
3:09:36
What does a customer want?
3:09:41
What does a customer ask when they come into a store?
3:09:44
They discriminate us as street vendors on the street.
3:09:50
But have you asked them, the customer, how they are treated by the owners of businesses?
3:10:01
They are discriminated.
3:10:03
When they go inside stores, they get discriminated.
3:10:07
They didn't they don't let them touch their merchandise.
3:10:11
Not all of them.
3:10:13
Some.
3:10:16
But they have done this and I have test I have witnessed this.
3:10:23
Owners that mistreat people who come into their store to buy.
3:10:35
Knowing that they live from us and they mistreat them nonetheless.
3:10:38
And they don't care.
3:10:45
less than a week, the police issued three tickets to me.
3:10:50
In less than a week.
3:10:53
ticket is a a thousand dollars.
3:11:00
It's not it's not even what we earn or or someone like you earn a thousand dollars.
3:11:07
And nobody cares.
3:11:10
Cares, but we are good people.
3:11:17
Responsible people.
3:11:18
We pay our taxes every year.
3:11:24
And all that we do is provide the community a service.
3:11:31
Just like a doctor does, a president does, a cab driver does.
3:11:41
provide a service and we give to the community.
3:11:46
God says make an effort.
3:11:48
Be courageous.
3:11:53
Here, we have courageous women and men representing.
3:11:58
We are parents, mothers.
3:12:04
Single moms who don't have a husband to support them.
3:12:10
We have to pay bills.
3:12:11
We have to pay rent.
3:12:12
We have to support ourselves.
3:12:16
And we go to the street to provide a service.
3:12:19
And what does the government do?
3:12:25
want to cancel us as if we were criminals, which we are
3:12:33
What we do, what we serve, what we manufacture.
3:12:40
We do food.
3:12:41
We provide.
3:12:42
We create gifts, and all that we do is with our heart.
3:12:49
In order to pay our bills and to move our families forward with honor.
3:12:55
Thank you for listening
UKNOWN
3:09:25
And
Guadalupe Sosa
3:10:43
In
Betsy Mak
3:10:52
Each
Amanda Farías
3:11:36
We
Sandra Jaquez
3:12:22
They
Sandy Nurse
3:12:28
not.