CORRESPONDENCE - #39 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Orozco, Norma From: Nathaniel Greensides <mynci90@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2022 4:43 PM To: eComment Cc: Hernandez, Johnathan; Sarmiento, Vicente Subject: Public comment - three agenda items Items: 34, 38, 39 I am unable to attend in person, nor via zoom and so I am submitting an eComment transcribed from the audio recording of my comment which can be found below: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1 w8gOMsJUybyH-dRy2vV27neQ4TBpsPSY/view?usp=sharing Dear City Council, I once visited a small town in one of the states of Mexico called Guanajuato. On every street was seemingly a store I'd already seen just one street prior: A tortilleria, a carniceria, a panaderia. I asked"why is there so much competition? Doesn't it cause conflict?" "El sol brilla para todos" - "the sun shines upon everyone"was the response that was given to me. To take pride in one's own cultural background and to create something new within a different contemporary context whether it's selling traditional food on the street from a cart or fixing up and customizing a car of one's own, is to ensure that history and acknowledgement of the past can persist into the present and future. This is a part of the reason I am hoping that item 34 the ceremonial street naming ordinance can be passed without further changes tonight. Hate crimes are defined currently as any crime motivated solely by the perceived social group or real social group of any individual. The 2016 and 2020 national elections once again emboldened despicable rhetoric and actions against our own hardworking neighbors, families, and friends. But here in Orange County, members of a racist group known as the John Birch society and even known members of the KKK have advocated for and enacted laws against the practices and customs of those who are not Caucasian even in history's recent past. My parents generation growing up as brown teenagers in Santana in the 1980s weren't able to experience hiking in the hills of Orange County because there was an uncomfortable chance they might not return home on account of white supremacists. Meanwhile, the white collar crimes of redlining and predatory money lending practices continues to remain uncriminalized and unprosecuted. Somehow, though, cruising and low riding and selling Mexican food on the street still today sometimes is criminalized and pursued aggressively by law enforcement (the most recent Easter Sunday being just an example). We have the power here tonight and moving forwards to ensure that we make it 100% clear that cruising can return as a point of Santanero pride for all and that the heloteros of Santa Ana(or any other type of street vendor for that matter) are able to pursue justice should they ever become a victim of hate crimes again. El sol brilla para todos. No importa su ingreso ni el color de su piel. The Sun shines upon everyone. It doesn't matter your skin color or income. Sincerely, i