Three Latina entrepreneurs have anchored Highland Park’s York Boulevard for up to 17 years, building businesses that became the backbone of one of LA’s most celebrated independent corridors. This Saturday, October 11, the 11th Annual Mercado Fall Festival (12-8 PM, York Blvd between Avenues 50-52) celebrates them with a free, three-block party of art, food, and community.

The festival’s main stage, Friends Over Followers, is hosted by LABellatini (Isabel Reyes), a DJ, curator, and community connector who has activated markets and showcases across Los Angeles for years. Her lineup spotlights Highland Park’s musicians, dancers, and performers – many of whom work at the very businesses lining York Boulevard. LABellatini’s work embodies what the Mercado stands for: joy, representation, and collaboration.

The festival’s three Latina entrepreneurs who have anchored York Boulevard for years: Noelle Reyes has run Mi Vida Boutique since 2008, providing a platform for Chicanx artists and creatives for 17 years. Corissa Hernandez, a first-generation Chicana entrepreneur and financial educator, co-founded Nativo and Legacy Full Circle Financial. At the Mercado, Nativo debuts a special cocktail menu with drinks inspired by neighboring businesses. Marcy Guevara-Prete launched The Plus Bus in 2015, LA’s premiere mobile plus-size boutique creating community and style for a market the fashion industry ignores.

These women represent a growing wave of Latina business leadership, creating spaces that are not only successful but intentional about who they serve and what they represent.

This year carries special meaning. As small businesses and street vendors across Los Angeles face economic pressure, the Mercado is both a celebration and an act of resilience – a moment to rebuild, reconnect, and reaffirm the creative economy that defines Highland Park.

Now in its second decade, the Mercado Fall Festival stands as both celebration and statement: that culture, creativity, and local business ownership remain the heartbeat of Northeast Los Angeles. With live music, lowriders, art activations, and over 100 neighborhood vendors, the Mercado continues to grow as one of LA’s most beloved community events – powered by collaboration, heritage, and pride.

Mercado Fall Festival
 York Blvd between Avenues 50 & 52, Highland Park
Saturday, October 11, 2025 | 12 PM – 8 PM
Music, food, art, car clubs, and local vendors

Follow @FriendsOverFollowers for updates and behind-the-scenes coverage.

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As shy as she was, still in high school, Vanessa Marquez figured out a way to get an audition to the film Stand and Deliver.  She took the bus to her audition and she landed one of the ensemble roles, she was cast as Ana Delgado in the 1988 drama which starred Edward James Olmos and went on to be a big hit, as well as start Marquez on a career in Hollywood.

She played nurse Wendy Goldman during the first three seasons of ER, where fans really got to see her talent.  Other TV appearances include: Seinfeld, Melrose Place and Malcolm & Eddie. In films, Marquez was in Under Suspicion (2000), Blood In Blood Out (1993) and the indie film, Twenty Bucks (1993).

The native Angeleno, Marquez had a passion for acting since an early age, especially after the first time she saw the 1939 classic, The Wizard of Oz. When she was just eight years old, she wrote Paramount Studios, saying, “My name is Vanessa Marquez, and I am 8 years old an actress, and I am ready to audition for any parts you feel that I’m right for.” No response came for another six years, until she was cast in Stand and Deliver, and that is when her professional career began in earnest.

Throughout many stages of her life, Marquez faced many obstacles, challenges and instances of adversity. Despite the series of hurdles she encountered, her talent, determination and dedication were just three of the qualities she used to beat the odds and have an impact entertaining and inspiring audiences. 

These traits often emerged through in the characters she played. Ana Delgado in Stand and Deliver, future professor Lucy in August 29 and other roles such as her spot as a nursing student on NBC’s Nurses and later as Nurse Wendy Goldman on ER were all characters who either succeeded or were positioned to succeed through education in a variety of fields. 

In her writings, Marquez relayed the story of how her English teacher in Schurr High School encouraged her and was one of the first people to recognize that she had abilities beyond the expectations held by others. Vanessa Marquez was a gifted and talented thespian and writer. She had mental demons that ultimately, she was not able to overcome. Still, her work speaks volumes—Playwright Jose Rivera named a character of Vanessa Marquez in his 2000 play Sonnets for an Old Century after the actress, who had appeared in his 1997 play, The Street of the Sun.

“Any film that not only allows you to dream, but LIVE the dream, is worthy of every accolade. Thirty something years later, the body may be weak but the heart and mind and soul are just as inspired perhaps even more so. You see, for some of us, it’s not just a movie. It’s become a way of life, a way of thinking, living and dealing with the world around us in the most hopeful, inspired and spiritual of ways.” –Vanessa Marquez

With regards to what has happened since Marquez’s death by police shooting, it is reported that this past June, her mother, Delia McElfresh has filed Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. According to the incident report, it was the paramedics who brought the South Pasadena police officers, who disregarded the paramedics’ decision that Marquez had a right to refuse to be taken to hospital and instead created a confrontation that led to her death, the suit states.

“This is exactly the kind of lethal and unnecessary police action that has led so many in the country to call out for police reform,” said plaintiff’s attorney Vicki I. Sarmiento in an NBC4 report. “This was a situation in which Ms. Marquez was in her home minding her own business and instead of receiving assistance from medical professionals, she was shot to death.”

Hopefully, as the 21^st century continues on, more people can exceed whatever expectations others have of them. But it is also important that people with mental health disorders be at the forefront for them to have access to medical treatments to prevent tragedies like that of Marquez. And, that all law enforcement agencies be trained in recognizing that victims with mental health problems require a sensitive and special handling—not sure why that is not obvious—but just maybe they would not get trigger happy before giving mental health professionals an opportunity to deescalate the situation.

Mental health diseases will always plague our society. May future generations of people, regardless of age, gender, economic status or cultural background can have an ultimately positive effect on not only themselves but also their community, their country and their world. And, that those who need mental health treatments, that they be able to be treated without getting shot down by law enforcement agencies.

Marquez’s life was challenged with mental health issues that she worked on in the A&E Network reality TV series, Intervention, as she tried to manage her shopping addiction. Unfortunately, according to friends, her treatment was unsuccessful. Her mental illness (said to be bipolar disorder and agoraphobia) ended her acting career as she pretty much stayed homebound.

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Too often, rising stars within the Latino community have had their lives, and their potential for greater contributions, cut short by tragedy. Most recently, one actress comes to mind, Vanessa Marquez, whose life was cut short on August 30, 2018, when she was killed by local police officers in a violent altercation that could have been prevented. 

The fact that Marquez’s death is almost to the date of the Chicano Moratorium, August 29, 1970 is only more tragic. For this writer, what Marquez’s life and career symbolizes is a moratorium for one Chicana– immortalized for her authenticity, passion and own unique voice which became the hallmarks of her performances over the span of her entire career.

2020 so far has proven tragic to Latino Hollywood. On July 15, actress Naya Rivera (Glee) was declared dead in an apparent drowning accident at Lake Piru in Ventura County, disappearing into the waters after getting her 4-year-old son back onto the boat she had rented for the day.

Throughout the decades, there have been others who died before they reached their full potential. One can only wonder all of the “what ifs.” 

At age 17, rock and roll pioneer Ritchie Valens perished in a plane crash in 1959 in what became known as “The Day The Music Died.” Comedian and sitcom star Freddie Prinze (Chico and the Man) died of complications from a drug overdose on January 29, 1977, when he was only 22. Tex-Mex, cumbia and pop singer Selena Quintanilla, was murdered by Yolanda Saldivar on April 16, 1995 at the age of 23.

We’ve not heard the last of Marquez’s tragic death. Her mother has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of South Pasadena, the South Pasadena police chief and the officers involved in the shooting. Her Stand and Deliver co-stars, led by actor Will Gotay, are pushing for a thorough investigation on the police shooting of his friend.

“I am all about proper law enforcement and I have a strong belief in the legal system,” said Gotay. “As a child, my heroes were policemen. I was born in Manhattan and raised in the South Bronx. The area that used to be known as Fort Apache.”

Gotay’s views on the shooting became crystal clear after viewing for himself the police BodyCam footage, and he is outraged and determined to get justice for Marquez and her family.

“From the beginning, I wanted to believe that the police [South Pasadena Police Department] did their jobs correctly. That they had no other recourse. But, what I saw for myself on the BodyCam footage was undeniably wrong!” Gotay said.

“They need to be held responsible for what they have done. This happens more times than we know. It has to stop! Police should not be present at wellness checks unless they are specifically needed. They murdered my friend. They took her life as she tries to explain why she wanted to stay home. This cannot happen again,” Gotay said.

The post Vanessa Marquez: A Chicana Moratorium first appeared on .

By Roberto Leal

The 1954 film, Salt of the Earth, written by Hollywood Blacklisted screenwriter, Michael Wilson, starring Juan Chacón, , Rosaura Revueltas, and Will Geer, which tells the inspiring story of Mexican zinc mine workers in New Mexico, who organize a general strike, eerily mirrors the life of Dolores Huerta. It is the Chicana woman; wives, mothers, daughters, in Salt of the Earth, who organize, mobilize, energize, and create the solidarity that is the driving force behind the miner’s ultimate victory.

This Friday, July 10, at 9 PM CST, PBS and Independent Lens will air Dolores. Her story begins in 1930 in Dawson, New Mexico, the daughter of coal-mining Mexican immigrants. It was in the crucible of that hard-scrabble, poverty-stricken environment that forged the iron will that is the heart and soul of Dolores Huerta’s remarkable, fiery political activism, labor rights battles, and unwavering support on behalf of feminist causes.

Huerta’s most well-known and notable achievement was being the co-founder, along with Cesar Chavez, of the United Farm Workers Union. What is not so well-known, is it was Huerta who did the lions’ share of the bare-knuckle brawling and nuts  and bolt, hard-nosed negotiating behind the scenes, like the women in Salt of the Earth, to make the union a reality. Huerta proved the adage: “Behind Every great Latino leader is an even greater Latina leader.” We could use bold, strong, Latina leaders, in the mold of Dolores Huerta, on our cultural and political ramparts today.

Barbarians at the Gate

There are many political, economic, and cultural issues facing the greater Latinx community that are crying out for powerful Latina leadership.

ICE, at the behest of Trump, and his Minister of the Border Gulags, Stephen Miller, aka The Ghost of Joseph Goebbels Present, are dragging their feet and delaying, for as long as possible, the court-ordered release of those migrant children currently being held in dog cages that would bring tears to the eyes of an SPCA activist.

Miller and ICE are creating a sinister deterrence-based immigration policy based on scaring the hell out of any Latino immigrant from Mexico and Central America, who has the arrogance and temerity to seek asylum, strive for a better life, in what we increasingly refer to with farcical irony as “The Land of the Free” with the horrifying specter of being interminably caged in the American Gulag.

Where is the national outrage? Why aren’t the ask-kissing, enabling Republicans—who support this inhumane, and illegal policy— why aren’t they having their clammy, dainty, well-pedicured feet held to a blast furnace hot, public fire?

Chicanos, Mexicans, Mexican Americans, and other Latin Americans are being killed by the trumpvirus pendejodemic at higher rates than any other ethnic group. There are many reasons for this tragic statistic: working in essential service industries and dangerously close proximity production jobs, living in high density, crowded housing, and other underlying health conditions.

We need a few latter-day Dolores Huertas, on the ramparts, raging against the injustice and using a bullhorn to roar truth to power. There are some good candidates. The mainstream media, which often ignores, or marginalizes Latino public figures, must shine a brighter and more frequent national spotlight on them.

Women of Color of a Different Hue

All the political pundits insist Joe Biden must choose a woman of color to be his VP running mate. I do not necessarily disagree with that assessment. When this presidential campaign first started, my “dream ticket” was Senator Kamala Harris and Julian Castro. Harris appears to be the odds on favorite to be his VP pick. It makes sense. Black women are the base of the Democratic Party.

However, Latina women are the FUTURE of the Democratic Party and the country. Arizona, Texas, and Florida are teetering on the verge of turning Blue, due to the huge Latino populations there.

When that happens—and it will happen—the only way a Republican can ever get into the Oval Office again, will be by taking the White House Tour, conducted by a kid named, Rogelio, who once resided in a dog cage on the Tex-Mex  border.

So why not consider a woman of color of a different hue for VP? Why not a Latina? In a recent article in The Hill titled Five Latinas Who Could be Biden’s Running Mate,, the following bright, attractive, accomplished and articulate Latina ladies were named:

• Rep. Veronica Escobar (D), Texas
• Rep. Sylvia García (D), Texas
• Gov. Michelle Luján Grisham (D) New Mexico
• Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D) Nevada
• Hilda Solis, former Secretary of Labor, Obama Administration

I am adding Judge Lina Hidalgo, Harris County, Texas, as my personal favorite

When we add Puerto Rico as the 51^st state, well, all those Trumpistas can  trade in their AR-15’s, their camouflage fatigues and MAGA caps for salsa dance lessons, start  sprinkling Tajin on their mac ‘n cheese and get addicted to the telenovelas, like the rest of us.

Dolores Huerta is credited with the phrase: Si se puede. That phrase was appropriated by Obama in his run for the president: “Yes, We Can.” When we look back on the inspirational activist career of Dolores Huerta, we can honestly say: ¡ELLA LO HIZO!

Huerta has been honored with Mexican corridos, wall murals and several documentaries. Time to erect a statue of Dolores Huerta, long hair flowing in the wind, bullhorn in hand, roaring truth to power.

Dolores airs Friday, July 10 on PBS Independent Lens, at 9 PM CST.

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