Oceanside community market unites businesses, performers and community members to support immigrant justice
The market donated a portion of its proceeds to Human Rights Council of Oceanside and Detention Resistance, two organizations that advocate for immigrant rights.
Written by Jenna Ramiscal, Edited by Kate Morrissey
Jewellers, crafters, spiritualists, musicians and community members gathered together at a market alongside Oceanside’s busy South Coast Highway, on Pour House’s patio, on Sunday to support immigrant justice.
More than 10 vendors participated in the event, and after 6 p.m., the market transitioned from outside to indoors for live music. The set featured three local artists: James Doll, Nashelle Brown and Los Chivos.
But it was more than a space where people could laugh and dance with one another.
The community market offered ways for people to donate money, hygiene products and food to support local organizations' efforts to fight for human rights and ensure basic needs are met. Reimagining Our Future San Diego, the market organizer, donated all proceeds from the music portion of the event to the Human Rights Council of Oceanside and Detention Resistance. Vendors at the event also donated up to 40% of the money they made to those two organizations.
“I want to meet folks in other spaces that share my values, and we can build a community together,” said Mekayla Nariño, the organizer of the market and creator of Reimaging Our Future. “These community markets bring folks together and are an opportunity to have fun because joy is also resistance.”
People laughed together while making buttons and other arts and crafts, and they cheered inside Pour House while listening to local artists play original songs. As the day progressed, donation boxes collecting household items including menstrual products, canned goods and diapers for Shared Plate and North County LGBTQ+ Resource Center filled up.
Nariño founded Reimagining Our Future, a volunteer-based group dedicated to mutual aid, education and cultivating community, in 2024. She had a vision of creating gatherings where joy and activism could co-exist.
“I found myself kind of frustrated because in North County we have a lot of shared experiences, struggle, lack of resources or just needing accessible resources, but not the physical spaces to do so,” Nariño said.
The June 7 market was the third time the organization has hosted a community market in the past year — but it was the first time Reimaging our Future fundraised for Human Rights Council of Oceanside and Detention Resistance.
Juanito Xōchipilli Conoro, co-chair of Human Rights Council of Oceanside said they are happy to see community support, especially in a time when it feels like the government is trying to divide people.
“When other organizations with other folks reach out to us, it's like we're fighting against that isolation,” Conoro said. “We are coming back together, we are refusing and we are not going to be isolated.”
The council still has to collectively decide how to use the donations, but Conoro said it will most likely support the group's mutual aid committee, which helps provide basic needs to families.
“Some of them haven't been able to pay rent for a few months, and they also need some kind of food and then their children will probably also need some kind of clothing,” Conoro said.
Kim Meza, a first-generation Mexican American, daughter of immigrants and owner of Heart Peopl, a small business jewelry shop, said that vending at the market offered a sustainable and tangible way for her to use her business to donate to a cause she personally cared about. Her hand-crafted wired aluminum earrings, necklaces and rings sparkled in the sunlight.
“I've been closely relating to that struggle of my parents being immigrants — now I can finally give back to them in some way, and give back to the community,” Meza said. “This is the best way. I'm representing them now, and it makes me really happy.”
Andrea Olivas Medina, an ancestral psychic medium and owner of Hacia La Tierra, said she felt similarly.
“Coming from an immigrant family and immigrant communities, it’s important for me to show up in any way that I can,” Olivas Medina said. “Also just to be surrounded by people who have similar values, similar life experiences, it's just always beautiful.”
She offered oracle card readings to attendees throughout the day.
Ruben Garcia, with SoCal Screen Printing, customized people's clothing with statements including “no one is illegal on stolen land,” “fuck ICE” and “fuck the police.”
“It adds to the passion of the job,” Garcia said. “ I love screen printing, right? But when I'm printing about something I love and seeing people that also share the same idea — it just all around becomes like a community that grows.”
Brown, who grew up in Oceanside and is a multi-genre musician, performed a 30-minute solo set singing a mix of neo-soul and slow-rock accompanied by her electric guitar. She performed reflective and emotional originals along with a cover of “Waste” by Brockhampton.
“Community and being in community is power,” Brown said. “I want to help in any way, whether that's bringing people to the event or being entertainment for the event. I care about those folks. Awareness creates action, and even though this is kind of more of a lighthearted event, it can still bring awareness to people's needs.”
Attendees wrapped up the night cheering for performers and dancing alongside one another. Nariño said she hopes that a couple hours of togetherness at the community market helped plant a seed of joy, hope and resistance in the community.
