Community Comes Together for Tamale Vendor Harassed While at Work

A massive outpouring of support in San Pedro for Juan Aguilar, a tamale vendor that was harassed and called racial slurs while working by a man neighbors described as a “white supremacist.”

On June 11, Supporters and activists gathered in front of the perpetrator’s home, where the incident took place, buying tamales to support Aguilar. His supporters condemned the racism and assaults that vendors frequently experience.

In two hours, Sánchez sold 1,500 tamales. A personal record.

Although it wasn’t the first time Aguilar had experienced racism while selling his tamales in San Pedro, it was the first time he recorded an incident. The video received a whopping two million views on TikTok. Local activists got a hold of the video and decided to organize a sell out. And they did sell out.

Juan Aguilar works seven days a week, up to five hours a day, selling his tamales down the streets of San Pedro. Selling tamales is his only source of income, his way of supporting his family.