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The Capitol Riot, which occurred on January 6th, 2022, was President Donald Trump supporters’ way of demonstrating their anger upon his failure of re-election. A mob of almost 2000 unmasked people, flaunting their patriotism with red, white, and blue flags, sieged the L.A. City Hall while hoisting signs manifesting Trump’s famous slogan, ‘Make America Great Again’. Others, proudly armored with guns, displayed messages such as, ‘Stop the Steal’ and ‘Drain the “swamp.”

The mob of protesters were enraged by the results of the election during the 2020 presidential contest and began a peaceful march. This conflict-free rally went haywire and transformed into a vicious and frenzied sight wherein physical assault was carried out upon two photographers. Counter-protesters were battered and doused with pepper spray. However, in the thick of such mayhem, an old street food vendor by the name of Gabriel Josè Garcia stood alone with complacency.

This vendor reached his autumn of life at 53 years old and could be seen grilling his food, undisturbed by the chaos. He did what he has been doing for the past 25 years, and he was adamant to carry his weight by marketing his food, one of which is considered L.A.’s most celebrated grub, the Danger Dog.

Donning his usual hat and t-shirt, he had only one thing on his mind, which was to give his family el pan del día (daily bread). In his first language, Spanish, he stated how he had left “it” in the hands of the Lord and how he did not have a single thought about the riot. He was there to earn his living to care for himself and his family.

Garcia said, “I did not plan to go there with the idea of getting hurt or ill. I did not think of the fights happening. I just went there to do my job and earn the money my family needs. Ese día sólo tenía un objetivo en mente y trabajé hasta la noche (That day, I had only one goal in mind and I worked till the night).”

The hoard of Donald Trump patrons noticed Garcia as well and poked fun at him during the event. “What are you doing around this area, amigo?” asked some commenters, “You should be standing over there!” Despite being seen as a nuisance, Garcia felt no danger and stood unafraid in the same spot since the beginning of the day. He set up shop like usual, only worried about getting fined by police or even arrested. His worries increased when he saw how the tension of the rally grew.

A video was taken of Garcia without his knowledge. The team in charge of doing so was representatives of Fox 11 News, and this was screened during their segment, and the clip became virally known in every nook and cranny of social media. The first one to upload this video clip was a Twitter user who goes by the name Edwin Munera. He posted it on his account, unveiling the figure of a masked vendor on the street, Garcia, with a Rams hat on the top of his head and standing unbothered in the cluster that is the crowded rally of Trump supporters.

Munera, on the phone, stated, “I’m only relieved it was possible for him to get the money he well deserved, and that nobody caused any inconsiderate disturbance to him.” Through bated breath, he said, “It’s difficult for Hispanics to get their earnings, or even imagine profits; it’s tough with those people.”

In Garcia’s experience, this was not the first time he witnessed a similar incident. Almost three decades of his involvement in the street vendor scene has equipped him with encounters with several protests and many other huge crowds. Before the Capitol Riot, he saw the rise of the Black Lives Matter processions, which highlighted acts of racism since 2013. Along with this, he was also a witness to the crowds before the electoral results during the Biden-Harris celebration in November.

He continued to stay for a long time during the siege. There was a fight that bloomed among the president’s crowd and the people who criticized him. This was when police officers decided to intervene and handcuff around six people who were part of the brawl that erupted. This fight even reached Spring Street, around the outskirts of the LAPD headquarters. This prompted Garcia to finally thank God for his safety, pack his things, and leave.

Gonzales wore a smile that hid his tiredness. “I don’t feel bothered by criticism; not anymore,” he said, “I’ve worked in this field for a long time, I think you can say I’ve grown accustomed to such situations. The worst part is when police officers arrive without warning and fine us for selling food in this area. It really stings. When there are verbal insults that you hear every day, it doesn’t hurt you. But it’s a completely different thing when you get those ticket fines. A day’s worth of income will be wasted and those sting far greater than any comment.”

He could not earn much money that day, so whatever he had, he pushed down his front pocket and fled the scene. His small red cart was in front of his hands, being moved away squeakily to his usual spot in the Eastern area of Central City. As he was walking away frantically, he recalled hearing the echoes of tear gas going off and fracas echoing in the distance that grew the more he moved forward.

Throughout many obstacles, Garcia works to keep his family well-fed and in school. “It is not what the event is about,” said 22-year-old Juan Garcia Perez, one of his sons. “Prior to the rise of COVID-19, we could travel to different places, even as far as San Francisco or Las Vegas, sometimes even Colorado, to work at soccer games,” Perez states that his father is doing what he does daily, which translates to earning an honest living. However, the clip of him that day during the riot spread fast and wide, and this, according to his family and friends, was a call for concern over his safety.

“I hadn’t even thought about it initially,” Munera said, “I was under the assumption that it would just be a random video of a hot dog vendor. But then it suddenly occurred to me that it was a bloody Trump rally.”

Before the pandemic engulfed the world, Garcia, along with some of his relatives (such as his mother, his mentor and sole introduction to the art of street vending and its minutiae since he was twelve), would go around finding spots to park their little food carts in areas where it was common for a large gathering to occur. The habitual hubs in mind would be at the Staples Center, L.A. Convention Center, Dodgers Stadium, and even outside high schools & elementary schools.

Garcia spoke, “If there was a march held or an event happening, I’d always be there. Whether it’s a buzzing Lakers game or a Black Friday sale at the Staples Center, I’d try my best to show up. No matter what event, I’d be there. Then almost abruptly, these events were canceled and everything shut down.”

Street vendors, who have mostly been those who are of Mexican descent, have fought a long and hard battle in terms of decriminalization of street vendors in L.A. In January 2020, they finally won. However, there was a short-lived celebration due to the problematic permit process pushing vendors to continue illegal vendors without permits.

When the pandemic hit L.A., the unreliable situation of street vendors and their function in the city became significantly worse. “It was disastrous,” Garcia said, “It wasn’t only my problem of course. It was devastating for us all in terms of finance, because I had a huge dependency on events like marches, rallies and such to get my bills paid for housing, food, and everything.”

The family frequently moved around the state due to a lack of finances, endangering their lives and being on the front lines of the pandemic.

Perez stated that five years ago, two residents of Pico-Union passed away after the truck they drove flipped upside down as it was going from San Francisco to Los Angeles. “We grew up together,” he stated, “We sold beside each other. That happened while they were trying to earn money to live, to simply go and sell hot dogs.”

In the previous summer, Garcia encountered three men and was almost mugged while they screamed at him to give them his money when he was trying to sell off his raspados. He had a bright mind and a lucky soul as he ruined their plans when a good samaritan drove by coincidentally and helped him when surrounded by the men.

“That is the tale of every street vendor and their daily lives. How my father has to readjust his plans to make his wages and pay the bills. Sometimes, poverty can be seen as a romanticized narrative, its struggle and hustle can be idealized. But if you look at the bigger picture, there’s layers of hardships.” Perez said.

When he recalls the riot day, Garcia laughs to himself as he tries to decipher his news channel cameo. “Things like this make me too shy,” Garcia said, “If you look closely at the clip, you’ll notice how I moved around. I made attempts to outflank them, but they got me that day. Pero pues aquí estamos (but here we are).”

If you are interested in aiding Garcia and his family, they have come up with a GoFundMe page!

The employees at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen must’ve probably gotten tired of picking up the call and hearing the same question again and again: is that chicken sandwich back? 

It was a crazy summer for the employees at Popeyes, and the reason was their new fast food item, the crispy fried chicken sandwich. This new item on their menu instantly became so popular that everyone wanted a bite. It’s no surprise that people all over the country would swarm at the restaurants to get a taste of their delicious crispy chicken sandwich. 

But it’s worth mentioning that behind the scenes, the employees worked tirelessly with no days off, even on weekends, to cater to the customers. Their dedication was commendable!

Since this famous chicken sandwich was available in over 3000 locations across the U.S., it was successful in satisfying the demands of hungry customers even though it was on the menu only for a couple of weeks. 

It was one of the best decisions that Popeyes ever made to entirely create a new chicken sandwich, as it was a total hit. Sure, they weren’t ready for the overwhelming demand and positive response to their new fast food item. Even The New Yorker couldn’t get enough of Popeyes’ tasty sandwich chicken that was highly praised. 

The magazine described the chicken sandwich as having the perfect combination of every ingredient, and every bite was full of flavor and so balanced that it was worth the hype. 

Popeyes In Hollywood

It was in the middle of August when the chicken sandwich obsession began in Popeyes’ restaurants across L.A. 

In locations like Slauson Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard, hungry customers would start lining up an hour before the store opens. Businesses located at Hollywood Boulevard would place orders in advance, and on La Brea Avenue, endless lines of cars were waiting to order their chicken sandwich at the drive-thru.

It was so popular and tasty that everyone wanted to try Popeyes sandwich chicken at least once. This fast food became instantly famous and remains a favorite among fast food lovers.

Sarah Miles, the general manager of the Hollywood and Cahuenga Boulevards restaurant, said customers were ordering about 50 to 100 sandwiches at one go and selling over 1000 chicken sandwiches in a day. Now, you can picture the madness at Popeyes during the rush!

Though Miles was able to console the long line of hungry customers by handing out water and licorice, one person she couldn’t please was the psychic next door. She was not okay with the long waiting line of customers past her business. Truth be told, that’s understandable, but it was out of their control.

Even now, customers won’t stop calling to ask when the chicken sandwich will be back in stores.

So, what’s the reason behind the delay? Running out of chicken is not an option. So, did they run out of sauce or other items?

Miles says that a unique ingredient is used for their signature sandwich, which is not used for any other food item, including a special sauce that’s equally tangy and spicy. 

She further says that the recipe cannot be replicated as it has a distinct flavor and can easily identify a fake one.

When the demand for chicken sandwiches was at its peak, all the employees at Popeyes across L.A. had to work double shifts, and managers were working 70 to 80 hours a week. As a result, employees in some locations couldn’t handle the workload and backed off, which was a struggle for the remaining crews. 

Soon enough, the chain ran out, and sold-out signs were put up on the restaurant doors and drive-thrus and are now replaced by corporate signs. 

Popeyes In Western Avenue And Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard

If you ever visit the Popeyes on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, you’ll be impressed by how clean the place is. It’s comfortable with efficient space and is nicely decorated. 

You can enjoy ambient music playing through in-ceiling speakers and bask in the sunshine from the large open windows as sunlight pierces through the glass panels. You’ll love it here!

Of course, it’s not a new thing seeing a homeless woman on the streets of L.A. digging through trash looking for food. So, when the store’s general manager, Stella Jones, strictly tells her that digging through someone’s thrash is not allowed, the woman buzzes off with the leftovers.

Jones has been working there for quite a long time, and like most store managers, they were the first ones to try out the new signature sandwich before it was added to their menu. 

She said it tasted delicious but had no idea that people would go crazy over their chicken sandwich. The demand was extraordinary, and sales went through the roof.

Jones further says they’re preparing to bring their instantly famous chicken sandwich. The only reason for the delay is that they want to hire more people and give them proper training to be well-prepared to face the challenge. 

Last time, some employees couldn’t handle the pressure and called it quits. This increased the workload for other crew members who had to work double shifts. So, this time, they want to be fully prepared to bring their most in-demand chicken sandwich back to stores. 

During the mayhem, the Popeyes King store faced some dreading challenges. By saying this, accidents occurred at the location, and customers threw thrash around, even banging on the glass. For this reason, they lost some of their employees as the situation went out of control, and they decided to leave.

The cashier, Mark Roberts, said that although it was chaotic, it was a thrilling experience. 

Roberts said he usually clocks out at 5:00 p.m., but when the demands skyrocketed, he had to work overtime. 

During that time, his shift started at 4:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m. 

He said people would still be lining up at 4:00 a.m. to order chicken. It was that serious! 

Even the store’s general manager, Jones, worked for 14 days straight, multitasking several responsibilities. She was answering calls non-stop and was figuring out where to store 40 racks of buns while a room full of angry and hungry customers kept staring at her.

At last, she admitted that it was challenging. But then she says that’s a part of her job and has to jump in when she has to because that’s the responsibility of a store manager. However, she gets no overtime for her extra efforts. So she’s hoping that the franchise owners will send some good news and expects to receive a bonus because she deserves it!

Jones hinted about the possible return of their famous chicken sandwich during the winter but said that some stores might bring it sooner.

She also said that the store at Slauson Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard has just gotten some exclusive sandwiches. So, this curious reporter went there straight away!

Popeyes At Slauson Avenue And Crenshaw Boulevard

At the Popeyes on Slauson Avenue, the first thing you’ll notice is a big flat-screen T.V. running either sports or news channels, and no one seems to be bothered by it. The customers are not there to watch the T.V., and the crew is too busy working on orders to care about which network is on. No one is interested in changing the channel, neither do I. 

Jack Brown manages the store at Slauson Avenue, and he’s been running the place for over 25 years. So, no wonder he proudly says he can immediately identify new guests. 

He says the store has been peacefully running for decades and has never had any issues except one night when he tolerated disrespect because one woman was highly irritated for receiving too many pickles. But that was it. Other than that, there are always long lines of customers in the lobby and drive-thru eagerly waiting for orders.

Do they love the chicken sandwich?

Brown says they enjoy the sandwich so much that they keep coming for it frequently. He smiles and says the store opens at 10:00 a.m., but people start lining up at 9:00 a.m. because they can’t get enough of it. They want to get their hands on it before it’s sold out. Also, they wouldn’t get one but would order 5, 10, 15 at one go. 

So, not only out of curiosity but also equally hungry, an order for the most in-demand chicken sandwich was placed. As the crew prepared the sandwich, payment was made, and finally, this journalist was ready to savor the delicious chicken sandwich. 

Was it worth all the attention and noise made on social media about this fast-food item? Absolutely, and for all the right reasons. With a combination of the generous sauce spread on the fresh bun and the crispy and moist chicken breast, the taste was heavenly. 

Finally, understood why people would line up for hours and hours to order this chicken sandwich. It’s simply addicting! 

Rideshare drivers show massive displeasure after Gov. Gavin Newsom’s assembly Bill 5, designed to reclassify independent contractors as regular employees. 

Although coming with good intentions, AB 5 fails to consider the ground-level repercussions, ultimately making things more difficult for gig economy workers. 

We’ve seen several protests and anger over the widescale ill-treatment of drivers by rideshare giants like Uber and Lyft. But when it comes down to it, most drivers prefer having the flexibility and freedom to choose their own timings over becoming employees. Let’s explore why.

Why Drivers Reject AB 5

On paper, the AB 5 bill seems to give gig workers a cushy deal on a silver platter. The new reform would bring positive changes like paid sick leaves, health benefits, and stringent minimum wage rules. So why is the bill met with a scoff and a general thumbs down? 

It’s very simple; drivers can turn on the app when they want to work and switch it off when they’re done. It makes things like dropping their kids off at school and picking them back up an easy task. What’s more, no one can stop them from taking a month off, or even two for that matter. Right now, the companies they work with don’t have the power to control them, and that could change with the AB 5 bill. 

Of course, plenty of other companies claim to offer flexible hours. But it’s nothing like the freedom you get when driving for Uber or Lyft on your own terms and timings. 

With all this to consider, we aren’t surprised that drivers aren’t the least bit interested in letting all that go to become full-time employees of a company that never really bothered about their problems in the first place. And that’s why most drivers would rather quit.

A Night At An LAX Lot

We traveled to an LAX holding lot, where we interviewed several drivers waiting for their next rides. The consensus amongst these drivers is that they prefer flexibility over anything else. Choosing their own working hours is the biggest reason they do this, and no amount of benefits can replace it.

Amidst the sound of planes flying overhead, we spoke to Hayk, an Uber driver with severe concerns over the new bill. “They (Lawmakers) don’t live our lives,” he says as he patiently waits for the next ping. 

Hayk lives in a two-bedroom apartment for which he pays $2500. His wife works a full-time job, so he has to take the kids to school and pick them up afterward. He emphasizes that no other job with particular shift timings will allow him to do all that. Being an Uber driver is the only way he can take care of his personal chores and work at his convenience.

When asked about the health benefits, Hayk sneers and voices his skepticism. He doesn’t believe the benefits are worth giving up his freedom and signing up as an employee. “Any time they change something, they make it worse.” 

“If you’re not driving over 50 hours a week, you cannot make any money”, Says Brain Lee, a Pasadena-based driver with over two years of experience. Lee usually drives approximately 50 to 60 hours weekly, and the new law might prevent him from doing so. 

You see, the moment Lee becomes an employee, his company would have to pay him overtime for the extra hours. It might sound on paper, but it’s not practical when you think about it. 

The app won’t send him trip requests after he crosses the 40-hour threshold. Beyond this point, he would need special permission to keep getting requests. It will force him to moonlight at a different company if he wants to make up for the remaining 20 hours. 

And then there’s the question of companies simply cutting down on the number of available drivers. That’s something employees won’t have any control over, unlike now. Becoming an employee puts them at the company’s whims and brings the possibility of getting fired due to downsizing, budget cuts, or any other factor. 

An Arcadia chef, Joel Turk, speaks to us with a soft-spoken charm. Turk would have been open to getting health benefits six months back when his wife was a contract worker. But ever since she got a studio job with health benefits, Turk isn’t enticed by the offer anymore. 

The Smokey-Robinson look-alike owns several large vehicles, which allows him to make small deliveries for UPS and work as an XL category driver for Lyft and Uber. He also uses his cars for his catering company. 

As a father of four kids who attend four different schools, Turk needs the time to drop off and pick up all his children. His cooking and food preps also make his work (driving) timings very particular. Considering all of the above, there’s no way he would agree to become a ride-sharing company employee that would make him conform to stringent work timings. 

Lyft Driver and Orange County resident, Kent, seems more relaxed on the matter than his peers. He believes it will take years for any change to come through, and he’s not exactly wrong. There will obviously be many court hearings and appeals before anything solid occurs. Plus, several delivery startups and rideshare companies already plan on fighting the bill tooth and nail. All of this indicates a lengthy and expensive trial. 

“They’re willing to spend $30 million to fight it? Just pay us that $30 million.”, Kent jokes. He used to drive for Amazon some years back and had plenty of criticism regarding the ever-decreasing ride fares. Kent believes that companies keep trying to make rides cheaper through pool systems. He compares it to public transportation and claims it will ruin things for everyone.

After all, what’s the point of bringing down prices to $2 per ride if nobody makes any money in the end? Ride-sharing is convenient for people; if they wanted to go on the bus, they would spend $2 over there instead.

Analyzing The Real Problem

By this point, we’ve understood that the AB 5 bill brings many problems for the people it aims to help. Forcing companies to pay a regulated minimum wage and provide health insurance sounds like the noble thing to do. However, we must also ask where the money for such policies will come from. 

We’ve already seen the downsides of the $15 per hour rule. Rather than help employees, it ended up with many losing shifts and jobs, as smaller companies couldn’t afford to pay these wages. As a result, many businesses had to downsize just to make a profit. We fear the same will happen due to the AB 5 bill. 

Harry Campbell runs a popular podcast and blog called the “Rideshare Guy” and offers us some fascinating insight over the phone. According to him, turning freelance drivers into employees can solve rideshare companies’ oldest problem: driver retention. 

Companies constantly have to spend tons of money just to replace the drivers they have lost. Looking at a leaked report from 2017, we can confirm that only 4% of drivers stayed with a company for more than one year. It is mainly because the work is incredibly stressful, highly demanding, and less profitable than people think. 

What’s glaringly evident is that companies will face increased costs in the wake of employee benefits. Campbell suspects that this will result in a slight increase in fare prices, approximately $2 per ride. 

The multi-talented persona reveals that customers didn’t have to pay the full price for rides until now. Companies deliberately decreased fare prices to get more customers while spending millions yearly on bonuses to get drivers to continue working. 

He also points out that most company losses are subsidized, thanks to venture capitalists. As a result, customers, corporate employees, and investors walked out with a fantastic deal. However, things have always stayed the same for drivers or gotten even worse. Campbell claims that the only supporters of the AB 5 bill are the same drivers who have faced the worst scenarios so far.

Conclusion

The AB 5 bill will be closely watched by everyone at this point. As of now, most drivers don’t seem to support the bill and state they would rather quit than be forced to become Lyft or Uber employees. Freedom is the most important thing for these drivers, and we can’t really blame them. 

Our investigation has brought to light several issues with the AB 5 bill, which presents itself as a noble fix and solution for the plights of millions of gig workers in the country. Forcing companies to reclassify gig workers as “employees” might increase costs, ultimately making things worse for the drivers. If profit margins are threatened, companies will simply terminate a large portion of drivers or have to increase ride prices, ultimately leading to fewer customers. After much analysis, it’s clear that the AB 5 bill is far from perfect, and as the sun rises over Los Angeles, we are left wondering, who does the AB 5 bill really benefit? Definitely not the drivers.