Janette Villafana

I am Janette Villafana, a reporter for the online publication called LA TACO. In the last two years, I have been able to immerse myself in the city of Los Angeles and cover community-based stories. Some of which have been highly focused on street vendor communities. Stories that resulted in the city re-establishing a moratorium on enforcement of street vendors and won LA TACO the 2021 CCNMA National Ruben Salazar Journalism Award for our coverage of how despite street vending being legalized, street vendors are still criminalized in different ways.

Articles

Carolina stands behind a homemade food cart at the Guatemalan Night Market in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Community & Public Health

‘We Did It!’ Street Vendors Across L.A. County Celebrate a Hard-Fought Victory

But as California moves to decriminalize street vending, many wonder if aggressive policing will stop.

Healthcare Regulation and Reform

Ignacio Torres Rodriguez sells churros, papas and more at Whittier’s Avenue 26 Family Market

Community & Public Health

Food Vendors Contend With a Mental Health Crisis on the Streets of L.A.

As they battle the double threat of attack and criminalization, street vendors report chronic stress and trauma.

Food and Nutrition

The immense mental costs of criminalizing LA’s street vendors

Street vendors face a perilous reality, eduring attacks and robberies on the one hand, and fines, arrest and confiscation of their goods by law enforcement on the other.

Reporting Topics

Reporting Topics

Reporting Topics

Reporting Topics

Reporting Topics

Janette Villafana

Articles

‘We Did It!’ Street Vendors Across L.A. County Celebrate a Hard-Fought Victory

Food Vendors Contend With a Mental Health Crisis on the Streets of L.A.

The immense mental costs of criminalizing LA’s street vendors