Testimony of Monica Sekhmet Grant

Pan-African Community Development Initiative

Hello, my name is Monica Sekhmet Grant and I am here to speak in favor of Intro 1303 which
would increase the number of mobile food vending permits available in New York City.
I work for the Pan-African Community Development Initiative which is an organization that
promotes the economic stability and independence of African immigrants and other
disenfranchised communities in New York. Among other programs, we provide financial literacy
seminars and counseling, as well as entrepreneurship and business development services.
The street vending community has always been made up of immigrants from various countries.
The City should support and encourage the growth of street vendors since vending is often a
pathway to a more established business. After all, many famous businesses in the City started by
street vending.
We support the issuance of more permits for food vendors since these are locally owned
businesses that contribute to the economic development of their communities. Street vendors are
the smallest of the small businesses and often times, the most marginalized. By issuing more
permits, vendors will begin to feel some relief from the secondary market that has strangled the
vending system for decades. Vendors should be able to get their own permits directly from the
City, allowing more security in the permitting process and bringing in more revenue to the City.
Additionally, street vending celebrates the cultural diversity of our communities. We should be
proud to be a City with immigrants from all over the world. There are many African immigrants
who would love the chance to share their local food specialties with New York City, given a
chance to obtain a food vending permit.
We should encourage these communities to share cultural traditions, including food, and vending
is one opportunity for new immigrants to feel economically empowered without having the
capital necessary to open a store or restaurant.
I hope the City Council will pass this legislation that will bring relief to thousands of hardworking New Yorkers.

Monica Sekhmet Grant