From Fruit Picker to Political Trailblazer: The 92 year old ‘Madrina’ of East San José
A coal miner’s daughter, Blanca Alvarado became a political force in Santa Clara County, organizing with Cesar Chavez and later becoming the first Latina to serve on the San José City Council. At 92, she goes by many honorifics, but her favorite is “La Madrina” — the godmother — of East San Jose. Rachael Myrow brings us this profile.
‘This Is Our City’: San José’s Berryessa Flea Market Vendors Fight to Stay
Since 1960, immigrant entrepreneurs, including many Latinx vendors, have sold everything from piñatas to socks to spatulas at San José’s Berryessa Flea Market. Now that the Berryessa BART Station is open, the city plans to build housing near the station as part of its vision to create walkable communities. New housing sounds like a good idea. New housing next to public transit -– even better! But what will happen to the many people, often immigrants and low-income folks, who depend on the flea market? Adhiti Bandlamudi tells us about their fight to keep the market open.