Last week I had the opportunity to attend the Rally to Support Benjamin Ramirez and Street Vendor Legalization organized by LA Street Vendor Campaign. A crowd of about 300 hurdled at Vine Ave. Elementary School. Cameras, people chanting, adrenaline fueled reporters, creative and intersectional pickets signs, decorated the busy Hollywood rush hour traffic. And there I was soaking it all in - a bit overwhelmed by the media circus.
Just a week previous, Benjamin Ramirez a 24 year old, used the power of social media and technology to expose the spiteful acts of a pedestrian named Carlos Hakas who aimed to intimidate Benjamin into moving his food cart, his primary source of income, by tumbling it down. Hakas’ action resulted in economic loss and public uproar. We quickly jumped onto the narrative and felt connected, some of us felt encouraged to speak and protest and others continued their tireless fight for just policy. Me included. This fight has resulted in an LA City Council vote to decriminalize street vending back in February. This vote protects street entrepreneurs from facing charges that would put them at risk of deportation. To date, however, vendors are patiently waiting for a wholesome and enforceable policy. If our beloved content creators and social media influencers we spend hours a day scrolling by are getting paid for every hit and impression then it is only fair that a man with a voice and story can do the same while advancing justice. Apparently there are already hats and tees being made with Benjamin’s quote: “Me vale madre! De aquí no me muevo,” or “I don’t give a damn. I’m not moving.” Although such unfortunate event occurred and many street vendors face similar attitudes and treatment, Benjamin Ramirez is now a social media influencer. He is the new face of the civil rights movement for street vendors according to a video posted by Stream it Now Productions. Benjamin became an overnight sensation one of the reporters at the rally even called out his fan base by saying, “Benjamin mas famoso que Donald Trump” or “Benjamin, you are more famous than Donald Trump.” A mere Google search has upward of 11 million results while Carlos Hakas has 75 thousand results. Obviously the David in this story is Benjamin, the underdog who won our activist hearts over, and pushed otherwise apathetic citizens into informed citizens. The original video posted on Facebook has 8.8 million views alone, as big as the population of New York or about three times the population of LA, and this is not even taking into account the cross posting on different platforms. Benjamin is a prime example of how we can monetize social justice. His story is being used by companies, artists, a movement and for radio and television ratings - his story is emotionally competent and relevant. Companies like PEPSI have paid millions of dollars to advertising that would seem relevant and socially conscious, resulting in a fiasco(aka Kendall Jenner). Spanish radio stations and TV shows are inviting Benjamin to speak about the incident, and a local band already hit 47K views on their “El Corrido de Benjamin Ramirez” song. The day of the rally Benjamin was granted a $ 1,000 check by Culver City property management company, Goldrich and Kest as part of their 60 Acts of Kindness Campaign. Immigration law offices are also flocking Benjamin for a ride on the social good bandwagon. So a note to all those interested in being relevant and telling a story, should you go the social justice and socially conscious route make sure you are doing your due diligence and research to be culturally competent. Besides capital, what our community spokespersons need is a voice and not at the expense of your ratings and social acceptance. Pay up if you want the story. My only fear for Benjamin is that unlike the Instagram influencers, he will not benefit exponentially from his platform. He has everything he needs for a career in social media, the following, the story, the activism. All he needs are some personal brand hustler tips!
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