STORIES
‘En el nombre de dios,’ street vendors continue to work in fear amid ongoing ICE raids
Adelphi, Md
As part of the Student Project with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), I produced a photo essay on a local vendor, which later developed into a written article and an accompanying social media video.
Photos
Article
ADELPHI, Md. — It’s a Monday morning in July, and a 36-year-old street vendor just outside the nation’s capital is preparing for a day of work. While she stews steak on her stove, her daughter plays in the distance with Perla, the family dog. Her husband, just a few steps away, has already begun shaving ice for her famous raspadillas.
“En el nombre de dios,” she prays before walking out the door. “In the name of God.”
The food vendor has been selling fresh fruits, shaved ice, and home-cooked traditional meals from Guatemala for the past 4 years — a necessity after her husband lost his job during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. In a week, she earns anywhere between $300 and — if she’s lucky, $800 — which is just enough for her to feed her children and make ends meet.
Social Media Reel
147 Years Later: Poolesville Family Still Calls Freed Ancestors’ Land Home
Poolsville, Md
Article
A Poolesville family home resides on the original property purchased in 1877.
Howard C Copland III, also known as Chuck, continues to tell the powerful story of his home in Poolesville and the stories surrounding the area.
Copland’s great great grandmother, Eliza Thompson, bought the property in 1877 for $450, which is around $14,000 in today’s value.
His family resided in Martinsburg, an African American community in Poolesville, one of six communities in the area.