826LA had the great pleasure of working with East Long Angeles Community Corporation, as well as the seniors of Los Angeles School of Global Studies, to take an in-depth look at the legalization of street vending in Los Angeles. And not just the legalization, but the challenges, pressures, and dangers of such a profession. Students went into the community and interviewed the street vendors themselves, getting a first-hand account of their stories. Students then wrote these stories, either assuming the first person, or telling a third person narrative. 826LA volunteers aided in the creation, editing, and revising of these essays, and compiled them into a beautiful new book, titled They Were Shining with Ambition, to be publishing in Spring 2014. ELACC will use these books and the stories within to learn more about the life of street vendors in Los Angeles, and within their campaign to make street vending a more sustainable way of life.