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Public Testimony

Isabel Rosario Testimony: Street Vendors Project

New York City Council · Apr 23, 2025 · starts 3:06:24 · 4 min 27 sec

Isabel Rosario, a street vendor and board member of the Street Vendors Project, testifies (via translator) about the mutual benefits of public space activation and supports year-round outdoor dining.

Member of the Public - Rosario

Soy parte de la Junta Directiva del Projecto de Vendedore Ambulante.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

Okay.

Member of the Public - Cecil Brooks Jr.

Okay, no se pondra.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

My name is Isabel, and I'm working as a street vendor in the city of New York for a period of around 18 years.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

I'm also member of the board of directors of the uh street vendors project here in New York City.

Member of the Public - Rosario

Okay, well I continue to score.

Member of the Public - Rosario

Vendedora que trabaja in el espacio publico.

Member of the Public - Rosario

It's something different in Spanish dialect.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

So it was something different in Spanish or Spain, my apologies.

Member of the Public - Rosario

Restaurante y vended in general.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

Okay, they have my something with her reading, my apologies, okay.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

Okay.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

And here in New York City to open the program for outdoor restaurants, right?

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

As a street street vendor, and I wanted to work in public spaces because I wanted I wanted to be able to survive well with the restaurants together.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

And with the restaurants together and with the street vendors, sometimes what is happening is she is generating a lot of traffic traffic, like pedestrian traffic.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

And we wanted to benefit mutually about this.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

So that's why I was asking some explanations, right?

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

To her.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

So basically she wanted to say she wanted to be able to survive, you know, using this outdoor restaurant because sometimes it's a lot of pedestrian traffic because of this, you know.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

Okay.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

No, and look, it's on mystic here.

Member of the Public - Sharon Brown

You notice she carries coaches where uh she appreciates courses in the restaurants because all usually not uh generating the child.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

Okay.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

Right?

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

Okay.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

She's going to read now the third part, okay?

Member of the Public - Rosario

Okay.

Member of the Public - Rosario

Okay.

Member of the Public - Rosario

Patrocina lo pequeño negocio de todo la ciudad.

Member of the Public - Rosario

Okay.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

Together we're going to attract the clients who support the small businesses in the entire city.

Member of the Public - Rosario

Okay.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

And requesting to the city of New York to allow that the outdoor restaurants are going to fulfill with specific rules and they will remain open during the entire year.

Member of the Public - Rosario

I'm going to ask you to please wrap up.

Member of the Public - Rosario

And you can submit that testimony.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

Oh, she can submit it in writing.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

Okay, I got it.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

She has some problems with her reading, my apologies.

Julie Menin

Oh no, no, no problem.

Julie Menin

It's just that we give everyone the same amount of time.

Julie Menin

So she can submit that in writing, not a problem.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

Okay.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

Council, I'm going to continue.

Member of the Public - Marlene Ansaldo

They're going to switch the C's so we're able to interpret it better.

Member of the Public - Rosario

Okay.