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Corona Plaza is Back! A Testament to the Power of Organizing
- Dec 20, 2023
- 3 min read
Wednesday, November 29th, was the first day back for the vendors of Corona Plaza, debuting the first of its kind “Community Vending Market” in New York City. It's the result of street vendors, primarily immigrant women, coming together to fight for their rightful place in our city.
In Corona, Queens, street vending became a lifeline for the local community to provide for their families and serve their neighborhood at the height of the pandemic. With the support of the Street Vendor Project, vendors banded together to form the Corona Plaza Street Vendors Association (AVA) and establish themselves as a valuable local stakeholder. Their leadership and valiant efforts are to be commended, as they rose above the classist, xenophobic rhetoric that permeated our city this summer to establish a historic model that can be replicated citywide.
In the words of Rosario Troncoso, AVA board president and member of SVP's Leadership Board, "We look forward to growing our collaboration with all involved in this project to make the market an example for the entire city, and to continue contributing to the economy of our neighborhood, Corona, Queens. This is just the beginning."
We are grateful to Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi for championing Corona Plaza as a true model of local economic development, our partners Queens Economic Development Corporation, Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, State Senator Jessica Ramos, Assemblymembers Catalina Cruz and Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, alongside nearly 13,000 New Yorkers who signed petitions of support. This collaborative effort truly demonstrates the valuable role street vendors hold in our City.
So come out and support the Corona Plaza Vendors' return! Stop by Corona Plaza for all your holiday shopping and to congratulate the vendors, anytime Wednesday - Sunday, 9 AM - 8 PM!
Timeline:
2020
Documented NY, New York Immigrant Communities Hit Hardest by the COVID-19 Pandemic, Data Shows, 4/2/2020
AP, Virus hits NYC hardest in a few working-class neighborhoods, 4/3/2020
The New Republic, Immigrant Street Vendors Are Feeding Others to Feed Themselves During the Pandemic, 9/23/2020
The City, Immigrant Corona Residents Lean on Relief Organizations — and Each Other, 9/8/2020
2021
The City, Corona, Queens, Still Staggers to Recover From Corona, the Virus, 4/28/2021
New York Focus, Unlicensed Street Vendors Fear Steep Fines as Enforcement Escalates, 7/21/2021
Next City, Once Upon a Pandemic, NYC Stopped Antagonizing Street Vendors, 8/30/2021
2022
Urban Omnibus, Market Share, 2/3/2022
Queens Eagle, Corona Plaza Street Vendors Unite, 4/6/2022
Righteous Eats, Corona Plaza Street Food Tour, 7/5/2022
The City, Boiling Over With New Vendors, Corona Plaza Gets Organized, 8/1/2022
2023
Queens Post, Hundreds Flock to Corona Plaza to Celebrate Three Kings Day, 1/29/2023
Gothamist, 'A beacon of hope': 3 years after COVID-19 devastated Queens, Corona Plaza becomes bustling market, 3/22/2023
Jackson Heights Post, Queens BP announces new trash initiative at Corona Plaza to help make vendor space more appealing to visitors, 3/29/2023
The New York Times, The 100 Best Restaurants in New York City 2023, 4/17/2023
The New York Times, The Flavors and Flair of Latin America, in One Queens Market, 4/25/2023
Infatuation, Corona Plaza Review, 6/21/2023
CBS New York, Vendors concerned over just how much longer they'll be allowed to operate in Corona Plaza, 6/22/2023
ABC7, 'People don't have the money': Queens street vendor crackdown sparks outcry from community, 8/2/2023
Gothamist, Corona Plaza vendors rally against City Hall's latest enforcement sweep, 8/2/2023
The New York Times, They Make Some of New York’s Best Food. They Want the Right to Sell It. 8/5/2023
Documented, Street Vendors Occupy Corona Plaza to Protest NYC Crackdown, 8/7/2023
The City, Crackdown Continues at Corona Plaza, Where Vendors Had Thrived, 8/10/2023
The City, Neighborhood Cop Plotted to Disrupt Corona Vendor Rally, Misconduct Complaint Alleges, 8/17/2023
Gothamist, After street vendor crackdown, Corona Plaza market is a changed place, 9/13/2023
Gothamist, NYC’s first soccer stadium hits a snag — the Queens borough president, 10/11/2023
Spectrum News, City approves street vendors to come back to Corona Plaza, 11/28/2023
Queens Eagle, Vendors to return to Corona Plaza, 11/29/2023
I really enjoyed reading this article. The part about how vendors came together to reclaim Corona Plaza after such a long closure really stood out to me—it’s inspiring to see the power of collective organizing in action. I hadn’t realized how much coordination and persistence it takes for a community space like this to bounce back, especially during challenging times. It also made me think about how public spaces shape local economies and social life, something I’ve been curious about for a while. Even small details, like the way vendors shared resources and strategies, show how collaboration can make a real difference. It reminds me, in a way, of how New Assignment Help service in Australia help students navigate complex…
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