If you ever walked down the main walkway at Cal State LA, what are you likely to encounter? On most days, it’s nothing out of the ordinary, but on Tuesdays, you’re likely to come across the farmers market that hosts various merchants who sell goods ranging from produce to jewelry and clothing.
Farmers markets are nothing new to Los Angeles, and have continued to spread around the United States. According to the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, farmer markets have continued expanding despite slower growth in the 2010s. From the years 1994 to 2019, over 7,000 new markets have opened across the United States.
Not only has the growth of farmers markets been explosive, but the services they provide can bring together the community, something seldom seen at a commuter campus like Cal State LA. For Daniel Casillas, the market is a way of giving back and helping those who struggle. Casillas coordinates the market as a representative of the nonprofit Eastmont Community Center. With the help of the community center and Jessica Vera, the coordinator of Food and Housing Security at Cal State LA, Casillas was able to bring the market to campus.
“We were able to connect with Jessica here at Cal State LA to make this all happen. This is our second or third year here, and I feel it’s really great being here,” Casillas said. “The faculty love us, the students love us, and I have people coming back asking, ‘Hey, when are you guys coming back again next semester?’ So, it’s very, very heartwarming to see the amount of support that we’re getting here.”
Numerous vendors presenting a variety of diverse goods benefit from the togetherness being built at CSULA. At Nonna’s Pantry, Filippo Alighieri provides students with fresh Italian food prepared daily. Alighieri sells Italian meats such as pancetta and salami, oats, tiramisu, and multiple types of cheeses. Alighieri said he takes great pride in the quality of the products he presents to students.
Other vendors provide students with opportunities to look through clothing options. Mia Lozano, a vendor who sells thrifted clothing, has been at the market for two semesters and collaborates with the organization In The Making, which helps nurture youth through employment and internship opportunities.
Lozano expressed her joy in being able to come to Cal State LA and share her love of thrifting and connecting with others.
“A lot of the vendors I’ve grown familiar with and they’re all very nice, very friendly. So, it’s really fun connecting with them,” Lozano said. “Also just seeing the new students that come by every time that are super surprised that they have a farmers market. It’s really fun saying, ‘Yeah we’re going to be here every Tuesday.’”
To see these businesses in action and browse through a wide selection of produce, jewelry and clothing shops, the Cal State LA farmers market is open every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
This article was first published in the October 9 print edition of the University Times.
