This story was originally published at Prism.
New York recently passed a historic $2.1 billion fund for workers who were excluded from previous federal and state coronavirus aid. Roughly 300,000 New Yorkers—including undocumented community members and people with “nontraditional” jobs—stand to benefit from the additional aid.
When Bronx-based community organizer Elisa Crespo advocates for housing accessibility, investment in public education, and job security, it’s personal. The 30-year-old is fueled by memories of growing up in New York City, witnessing her single mother fighting to sustain herself and her four children.
Maria Marín migrated to the United States two decades ago. The 47-year-old left her home of Veracruz, Mexico, seeking safety and better opportunities. Back then, her oldest daughter was only 7 months old, she says. For the past 17 years, Marín has been a street vendor in Bushwick, Brooklyn, a predominantly working-class and low-income, immigrant, and Latinx neighborhood.