Hi, my name is Robert Escalera and like many of you, my heart has been heavy with all the tragedy and uncertainty lately. One of the ways I clear my head is hiking Runyon. Yesterday, January 9th, as I was leaving, I noticed one of the fruit carts on the corner of Franklin and Fuller was missing and in its place were these signs. For some reason, it really shook and bothered me. I had no information or any way to really help but couldn't let it go. I kept tossing and turning last night thinking about all the sacrifices the owner must have made to save enough money to purchase it, the pride they must have felt when they finally had enough to buy it. The struggle of their blood, sweat, and tears becoming the joy of being a business owner with their little slice of the American dream pie to be self-sufficient and support their family. I was heartbroken that someone would steal their dream. However, this was just my imagination. The truth is far more cruel and insidious. This morning, knowing I had to do something to help but having no idea how, I drove by and took down the number. When I called, a lovely but distraught woman named Fabiana answered. Through tears, she explained to me what really happened. The story I imagined at the beginning was all true, but the conclusion was much more heartbreaking. The fruit vendor, her husband, was taken by ICE on the corner of Franklin and Fuller, in West Hollywood, in Los Angeles. This isn't just happening on the news, it's happening in our own backyards. His cart was left there with $480 worth of fresh produce he got on credit because he had been unable to work the past week since it had been raining. He left his house at the crack of dawn that morning, excited the sun was finally out. He was again able and eager to work to provide for his family; instead, he was kidnapped by ICE with only $30 to his name from the sales he made that morning. They gave him the option to self-deport to Mexico or go to a detention center, so Fabiana borrowed money to get him a plane ticket. When she arrived, the cart she was hoping to sell so she could repay their debts, join her husband in Mexico, and try to rebuild a life was stolen along with all the product. I explained to her that I'm not rich nor have much of a platform but maybe I could get a couple of friends to give a couple of bucks to help reunite their family, so here we are... We may not be able to do much to help the current state of our country and the world right now, but we can absolutely do a little something to help this family, give them a little hope, and let them know that despite what is happening, actual Americans care. These are decent, hardworking, tax-paying people, not criminals or animals. I am reminded of the statement released by Renée Good's wife, Becca: "Renée lived by an overarching belief: there is kindness in the world and we need to do everything we can to find it where it resides and nurture it where it needs to grow... We are here to love each other, care for each other, and keep each other safe and whole." I agree wholeheartedly and believe deeply we are each other's keeper. Please give what you can, and if you can't donate, it costs nothing to share or hopefully get inspired to find your own way to help. It is really important that we don't become desensitized. We all have the power to make this world a little better, and I for one refuse to give up hope! Thank you for your support