3 street vendors and their families receive financial assistance from Little Village nonprofit – Chicago Tribune

Report on the Socio-Economic Impact on Chicago’s Immigrant Street Vendors and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

1. Introduction: A Crisis Impacting Sustainable Development

• An initiative by the Street Vendors Association of Chicago has brought to light significant challenges faced by the city’s immigrant vendor community, directly impacting the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Fears related to immigration enforcement have forced many vendors to cease operations, leading to severe economic and social repercussions for them and their families.

2. Economic Precarity and the Challenge to SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 8 (Decent Work)

• Street vendors, who rely on daily sales for their livelihood, are facing a direct threat to their economic survival, undermining progress towards SDG 1: No Poverty.
• Case Study: Salvador Salas, a 75-year-old vendor of 28 years, reported a complete loss of his approximate $200 daily income, a situation he described as “worse than the pandemic.”
• The inability to work safely challenges the principles of SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, as it dismantles a vital sector of the informal economy that supports numerous families.
• The economic strain extends transnationally, as exemplified by Alejandro Aparicio, 23, who now supports both his local family and his father’s family in Mexico following his father’s detention.

3. Community-Led Financial Intervention

• In response, the Street Vendors Association of Chicago launched a GoFundMe campaign, successfully raising approximately $278,000 toward a $300,000 goal.
• The objective is to distribute 600 checks of $500 each to affected vendors and their families, providing immediate relief and contributing to the poverty alleviation targets of SDG 1.

4. Systemic Inequalities and a Call for Justice: A Focus on SDG 10 and SDG 16

• The situation highlights profound challenges to SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, as the immigrant and Mexican communities are disproportionately affected by federal government actions.
• Beatriz Ponce de León, Deputy Mayor for Immigrant, Migrant and Refugee Rights, stated that these communities are bearing a greater burden of what she termed “attacks.”
• Concerns regarding SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions have been raised following the detention and subsequent deportation of a vendor’s father.
• Key issues related to SDG 16 include:

1. Allegations of coercive conditions in detention centers, which are the subject of a class-action federal lawsuit.
2. Reports of detainees being pressured to sign voluntary departure waivers under duress, undermining due process.
3. The personal account of Alejandro Aparicio detailed poor conditions, including restricted restroom access and inadequate food, which reportedly led his father to sign for deportation.

5. Impact on Urban Fabric and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)

• The absence of vendors has altered the character of community hubs like 26th Street in Little Village, impacting SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, which aims to make cities inclusive, safe, and resilient.
• Maria Orozco, of the vendor association, observed that streets normally “packed with vendors” are now largely empty.
• Community members expressed that the vibrant, culturally rich atmosphere is diminishing, affecting the social cohesion and cultural identity of the neighborhood, which residents felt was a key component of a better life.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 1: No Poverty

  The article directly addresses poverty by highlighting the financial hardship faced by street vendors who have lost their source of income. The community’s effort to raise funds and distribute checks is a direct response to the economic vulnerability and poverty risk affecting these families.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The core issue revolves around the inability of street vendors to perform their work. These individuals, part of the informal economy, are denied the ability to earn a livelihood due to fear of detention. This connects to the SDG’s emphasis on productive employment and decent work for all, including those in precarious employment like migrant workers.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article focuses on a specific demographic—immigrant and Mexican communities—who are disproportionately affected. The deputy mayor’s statement about “attacks of the federal government in the immigrant community” points to inequality based on origin and migratory status. The discussion of detention and deportation policies further relates to the goal of facilitating safe and orderly migration.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

  This goal is relevant due to the legal challenges and institutional issues described. The filing of a “class action federal lawsuit” alleging coercive deportation practices directly relates to ensuring access to justice. Furthermore, the fear of immigration authorities and the poor conditions described in detention centers question the fairness and accountability of public institutions.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 1: No Poverty

   • Target 1.3: Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all. The Street Vendors Association’s initiative to raise funds and distribute “600 checks for $500 each” acts as a community-led social protection measure for a vulnerable population that has lost its income.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men. The article shows a regression from this target, as vendors like Salvador Salas, who used to make “$200 a day,” are now “stuck inside” and unable to work, preventing them from engaging in productive employment.
   • Target 8.8: Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers…and those in precarious employment. The article illustrates an unsafe working environment for migrant vendors, where the fear of being “detained by immigration authorities” prevents them from working.

3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of…origin…or other status. The situation described highlights the economic exclusion of immigrant vendors, who are unable to participate in the local economy due to policies targeting their community.
   • Target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people. The article challenges the safety and responsibility of current migration enforcement, citing allegations of “coercive conditions to expedite detainees’ deportation” and poor conditions in detention centers.

4. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law…and ensure equal access to justice for all. The filing of a “class action federal lawsuit” is a direct action by the affected community to seek legal remedy and ensure access to justice against alleged unfair practices by U.S. officials.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For SDG 1 (Target 1.3)

   • Indicator (Implied): Proportion of a vulnerable population covered by social protection systems. The article provides specific data points for a community-led system: a GoFundMe campaign raised around “$278,000” with the goal of distributing “600 checks for $500 each.” This measures the reach and scale of the support.

2. For SDG 8 (Target 8.5 & 8.8)

   • Indicator (Implied): Loss of income and employment among a specific group. The article provides a direct financial measure of lost work with Salvador Salas’s statement that he used to make “$200 a day.” A qualitative indicator is the observation that a street “normally packed with vendors” now has very few, indicating a sharp drop in economic activity and employment.

3. For SDG 10 (Target 10.7)

   • Indicator (Implied): Number of migrants detained and/or deported under contested circumstances. The article provides a specific case study of Alejandro Aparicio’s father, who was detained and ultimately deported after signing a voluntary departure waiver under what the family considered coercive conditions.

4. For SDG 16 (Target 16.3)

   • Indicator (Mentioned): Number of legal actions filed to address rights violations. The article explicitly mentions the filing of a “class action federal lawsuit” as a formal mechanism to seek justice, serving as a direct indicator of efforts to uphold the rule of law for detainees.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: chicagotribune.com