Sure, we know who has our favorite pluots or who bakes a mean vegan brownie, but every vendor has their own story. Sometimes it’s difficult to imagine these people outside of the market setting, but many of our vendors have a lot going on outside of their market personas. Can you guess which vendor is a belly dancer or who works at an investment firm? The farmers market thing just seems so natural, but there are multiple layers to these proverbial onions!
Keep reading every week to catch a “vendor highlight” and learn about the magic that goes into those beans.
This week, we will highlight a dancer. She is also known as Maria Young, the vendor at the Crystal Eyes stand. Besides selling her beautiful gems and jewels, she is actively involved in the West African Dance scene. If you have never heard the West African rhythm, it is heavy in percussion and is based on the traditions found in West African regions from the coast to the highlands. Seeing a performance, or being a part of one, is a “therapeutic experience”. Maria’s favorite part is the drums and “getting lost in the beat.” She used to teach and lead classes in Northern California, but took a hiatus these last few years for other passions (like her gems and specialty stones).
However, she is g
etting back in the swing of things and would like to begin dancing more. Maria stated, “I’m older and cannot move like I used to, but man, it just feels good.” While we wish her luck in finding the best West African Dance crew, you can still expect to see Maria and Crystal Eyes every week at MCM. All of the items that lay upon her beautifully-decorated table are naturally-found materials. She mainly sells crystals, jewelry, incense, sage, and palo santo at the market each Thursday from 4-8pm.
Stop by this week and strike up a conversation with this San Francisco native and talented West African Dancer!
