What’s it like to sell food on the street in D.C.’s extreme heat?
By hola | Published | No Comments
Every day, hundreds of young people, children and seniors walk the one and a half miles between Columbia Heights Civic Plaza and John Lewis Elementary School along 14th Street N.W. On that stretch, people encounter a few small trees that offer little shade, sweltering more with every step they take.
Such is the case of María Gabriela, a street food vendor who moved her business from Columbia Heights to set up outside the Fort Totten subway station.
“I felt like I was burning in Columbia. That’s why I went to Fort Totten,” says Gabriela.
María Gabriela emigrated from El Salvador looking to provide a better life for her three children. Back in her Central American country, she undertook various jobs, such as selling used clothing, makeup and food. In the United States, she works day and night.
“During part of the afternoon and evening, I work in the kitchen at a restaurant, and in the mornings, I sell tamales,” María Gabriela says.
According to the National Integrated Heat Health Information System, Washington D.C. and many parts of the country have broken daily heat records this summer. The National Weather Service recommends canceling outdoor activities during daylight hours, but can you imagine telling this to someone who relies on street vending for most of their income?
It has been challenging for Columbia Heights vendors to sell in the area. To fight the summer heat, they wear hats, sunscreen or use umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun. Although they are continually exposed to high temperatures, it’s more important to them to take their profits home.
Since María Gabriela decided to move to the Fort Totten station, she says it has been a better selling point. The subway has a larger ceiling, and hundreds of people get on and off the trains.
Columbia Heights is a busy area. However, this could change due to the lack of trees. People generally look for a safe place; they avoid the site when they know this is a hot area.
María points out that street vendors continue their search for a spot more convenient for their health.
“In Fort Totten station, the sun attacks me less.”
To learn more about how D.C.’s extreme summertime high temperatures affect local residents, listen to Hola Cultura’s podcast, “The Climate Divide.” Stay tuned for season 2 coming this fall!
– Original story by Ana Ugarte
– Translation by Natalia Chamorro
– Edited by Rafaella Mufarech
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