‘Manos Benditas,’ a photo project photographed and directed by @thaliagochez that highlights real street vendors whose labor sustains neighborhoods, traditions, and community. “At a time when many vendors, regardless of citizenship status, are increasingly targeted, racially profiled, and criminalized, this work seeks to humanize those too often reduced to policy debates. Street vendors are the heart and soul of every city, forming the heartbeat of what makes this country so vibrant and beautiful. Manos Benditas functions as both a visual archive and a form of direct support during a time of heightened targeting and vulnerability by partnering with @midcitymercado’s Street Vendor Fund initiative to provide direct assistance.” Credits: photograph + creative + cast by @thaliagochez Talent Don J + Doña M photo assistant @soymariaevelyn style by @jasmineejuliee dress & scarf/headpiece made by @hoodbabyla fashion pulls from @planeta.losangeles + @paisaboys + @persona.theshop | Milk Studios