Yesterday, the New York City Council passed Intro 1116 to expand access to street vending licenses for the first time in over 40 years. This is a huge win, made possible by street vendors, immigration advocates, Council Members, and activists like YOU who fought to bring opportunity and relief to working New Yorkers. 

NYIC and our partners advocated both within and outside City Hall to ensure the passage of Intro 1116. Over the past three years, we’ve rallied, testified, and, with your help, launched a robust text to phone banking campaign targeting key Council Members to pass this legislation.

Expanding access to street vending and economic opportunity for immigrant New Yorkers is just the start—immigrants have been on the frontlines of the pandemic, but thousands of New Yorkers who live and work here are still denied the right to vote and shape our city through the ballot. 

We’ve got to build on our momentum to expand New York City’s electorate and ensure immigrants with work authorizations have their right to vote in municipal elections restored. Join us in the fight to enfranchise immigrant New Yorkers—send an email to your Council Member and ask them to support Our City, Our Vote today!

Thanks for fighting with us! 

Murad Awawdeh and Rovika Rajkishun
Interim Co-Executive Directors