1 of 1 Photo: AFP
Santa Ana councilmember Johnathan Hernandez proposes today that assaults against street vendors in the city should be seen as hate crimes.
Hernandez got this idea after watching a viral video of a local barber cutting a popsicle vendor’s hair and giving him $100. The viral barber, Damian Villanueva, grew up and would get popsicles as kid from Bartolo Huate Pacheco and wanted to give back.
Damian shares that he has always been so moved by Bartolo and his place within the community, “He’s been selling for so long that if you grew up here, you grew up with him.” Hernandez also explains that the street vendors he's known and grown up with, told him that they were recently robbed and there's been a rise in attacks this year.
The councilmember wants street vendors to be protected with his proposal in place. Hernandez says, “this is an issue of discrimination, racism and more importantly it is a public safety issue.” The city council meeting is tonight at 6 p.m. Anyone is welcome to join or comment on the issue either through Zoom, in person, or by email. Click here for more.