New York State Senator Jessica Ramos: Food Is The Great Unifier

This week on All Ears, Abby talks food and food policy with New York State Senator Jessica Ramos. Jessica burst onto the New York political scene in 2018 when she and several other progressive candidates ousted a powerful group of conservative New York Democrats who had been crossing party lines to caucus with Republicans. She represents District 13 in Queens, where more than 24,000 food workers live in just three square miles. In 2019 Jessica helped pass the Farm Workers Fair Labor Practices Act, which gave farmworkers in upstate New York long overdue rights, things like overtime pay and unemployment insurance. She also pushed hard to remove New York City’s cap on street vending permits.  In this week’s conversation with Abby, Jessica discusses her love of food, her love of Queens, the powerful influence of Julia Child’s unmitigated use of butter, and why our country is long overdue for comprehensive immigration reform.  And you won't want to miss the tasty story that kicks off the episode: All Ears Producer Christine Schomer profiles vendors who work in Corona Plaza, one of the most exciting and diverse outdoor food courts in the country--just blocks from Senator Ramos' office.To learn more about The Street Vendor Project, visit https://svp.urbanjustice.org/EPISODE LINKS New York Times, Food Is Not a Prop For Senator Jessica Ramos, It’s a Platform, 2021 New York Times, No Papers, No Jobs: The New Street Vendors of Queens, 2020City and State New York, Jessica Ramos isn’t sugarcoating anything, 2020Grub Street, State Senator Jessica Ramos Likes Her Food Very Local, 2019New York Focus, Unlicensed Street Vendors Fear Steep Fines as Enforcement Escalates, 2021Eater, City Council Moves to Lift Street Vendor Permit Cap in Historic Vote, 2021New York City Business Solutions, Street VendingInstitute for Justice, Groundbreaking Report Highlights Economic Impact of New York City Vendors, 2015