Grassroots organizations and mutual aid groups fill in the gaps left by institutions and government agencies that fail to provide for lower income communities. In underserved communities of color, many of the figures that lead these groups are members themselves who address issues that would otherwise be ignored by the state. One group, the Local Hearts Foundation, is at the forefront of the growing collaborative efforts in Long Beach, California and is spreading its resources to local leaders in other cities.
Local Hearts Foundation
Tito Rodriguez, the Executive Director of Local Hearts Foundation, started the organization as a small project eleven years ago to give back to the community and eventually developed it into a 501 (C3) organization four years ago with the help of co-founder H.J. Chong. Their similar experiences of growing up in underserved communities inspired their advocacy in the organization’s work.
Rodriguez shared that their need to mobilize on behalf of the community came from personal experiences:
“There’s a lot of kids like me and HJ still out there that don’t have Christmas or don’t have Thanksgiving or don’t have new shoes for school or backpacks. I had none of that. I didn’t have any of that when I was a kid. So knowing that that’s still there for some families, that was the driving force behind the Local Hearts Foundation, to provide those things for these kids and those families that deserve it. They just can’t afford to do it.”
The organization’s work is closely knit within the community. All lines of communication are open for individuals to contact them for any assistance. From private messages on social media to comments under their Instagram photos, the Local Hearts Foundation encourages those in need to reach out to them. In his interview with Latina Republic, Rodriguez recalled various anecdotes from community members’s requests for help:
“….My nephews are good kids, they got straight A’s; my mom can’t afford anything for Christmas; my mom’s sixty eight; my brother’s doing life in prison now. Hey, can you guys help them?” I go, “Send me the report cards.” Sure enough, they send them over and you’re like, “Whoa, these kids are in the hood and they’re killing it, you know, straight A’s! They’re working hard and they want to do something good.”
As a nonprofit all of us agree that we should reward them and so we start asking what their interests are. “What do you guys like? What are you going to school for?” [They say], “Hey, I want to be an engineer, but I’m walking to the library in the hood.” At night walking back, anything can happen in the hood. So we end up saying “Hey, we’re going to buy you a computer or laptop or an iPad to take away the danger and to give you the right tools, the resources.”
Much of the organization’s funds and hands-on workers come directly from the community, with many donating their time and funds to help cover expenses for those in need. With the help of large donors such as Nick Diamond, owner of Diamond Supply Co., the company Mr. Nice Guy and Trace3, the organization is able to fund its expenses for their various acts of service in the community.
Along its charitable history, there have been many recipients of support. These include stories like Robert’s, a young man who was gifted gear and merchandise from Diamond Supply Co., and Aaron’s, a student who received school supplies and a new bike for the school year.
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Love Our Vendors
Recently, the Local Hearts Foundation extended their help to two street vendors in Long Beach on May 24th. Tito Rodriguez explains,
“One of the vendors is constantly harassed on this route by the same group of individuals. They tell him, ”Hey, stop! I want to buy something,” and then he stops and he ends up waiting five minutes and then they tell him, “You’re stupid, you’re a fool! We just made you waste your time.”
So this last day Monday, they did the same thing to him again and he didn’t stop. He just kept riding his bike, and then they ran up behind him and threw something on his back. So he stopped, and then another street vendor saw that there was screaming and yelling. When he went to support his buddy to make sure he was OK, they ended up attacking him also.”
One of the vendors involved uploaded a video and photo to his Instagram account showing the aftermath of the situation. The first image showed the vendor’s blue work shirt drenched on one side, followed by a video showing the contents of their cart spilled on the sidewalk.
Unfortunately, the situation did not end there. The officers called to the scene presented both of them with citations for not having permits, amounting to a $900 dollar fine for each vendor. Although the citations were later voided, their safety ultimately came second to whether they had permits or not.
The morning after the attack, the Local Hearts Foundation received close to 400 messages. The two street vendors recounted what had happened to the Local Hearts Foundation, prompting the organization to set up an event on the same street where the attack had occurred. The plan was to send a message of solidarity throughout the neighborhood.
“We want the street vendors to go home with empty carts and smiles and feel the love and let them know that we love them and we’re here for them, [that] we support what they do,” said Rodriguez about the intent of the event.
The weekend after, the Local Hearts Foundation organized the event with the help of the Long Beach Sheriff’s Department and the support of community members. They named the event, “Love Our Vendors” and began to reach out to the community through social media.
Support poured in. People from all over the community expressed their interest in attending the event. Attendees were neighbors from the area and local car club members who showed up to support the cause in their low riders. Once the word of the event was out, messages of support came flooding in.
The community filled the streets and sidewalks as they waited to make a purchase from both vendors during the event. The celebration was successful as the gathering of the community helped to relay a message of solidarity with street vendors in the area.
The support for street vendors does not end there as the fight to provide them with easier access to permits and safer work routes continues.The Local Hearts Foundation is working alongside Council District 1 Representative, Mary Zendeja to create a policy that would categorize any crime against vendors as a hate crime.
“Long Beach would be one of the first cities that makes those types of things a hate crime, because that’s really what they are,” said Rodriguez. The policy would create a second layer of protection that would have many second-guessing their actions before committing these crimes.
Street vendors continue to face the injustices of those who view them as easy targets of harassment. Working in the open air while operating mobile businesses make them vulnerable. The Local Hearts Foundation continues to do their part in providing what they can to the community. Whether supporting people like, Aaron or Robert or coming together in solidarity with street vendors, these events build community and amplify the overall wellbeing of the people.
Kimberly Gabriela Martinez | University of California, IrvineKimberly is an undergraduate student majoring in Political Science at UCI. She grew up in a predominantly Latinx community in Southeast LA and is the daughter of two Honduran immigrants. Having seen the obstacles that many immigrants face first-hand has inspired her to pursue a career in immigration law. She hopes to amplify the voices of those in the community during a time where immigration has become one of the most polarizing issues in modern politics. Making sure that underrepresented stories and voices are heard is important in removing the negative stigma around the immigrant community and she hopes to contribute to this change.