Philadelphia’s history has been shaped by immigrants since its founding by William Penn on October 29, 1682. Over time, the first groups to settle in the city’s iconic South Philadelphia neighborhood were Jewish and Irish communities. Alongside Lebanese families, they sold their goods in a marketplace where African American workers were also employed. Later, with the arrival of Italian immigrants, the Italian Market was established in 1880 and became officially known as the 9th Street Italian Market.

The first Vietnamese immigrants and refugees arrived in South Philadelphia between May and June 1975, following the fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War. Today, this community represents the third-largest Vietnamese population in the United States. Other Southeast Asian immigrants living in the neighborhood come from Cambodia and Laos.

During the 1990s, Mexican immigrants began arriving and opening small businesses south of 9th Street, revitalizing areas affected by urban decline, poverty, and crime. In recent years, Central American immigrants, primarily from El Salvador and Honduras, have also settled in the area.

Multidisciplinary artist Michelle Angela Ortiz, who was born and raised just blocks from the Italian Market, launched the Nuestro Mercado project in 2019 as a tribute to the immigrant workers who continue to shape the history and culture of the 9th Street Market.

As part of the celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the United States’ independence, the muralist and educator organized four evening guided tours on August 8 and 9. The experience immersed participants in a cultural mosaic of art, light, storytelling, and food. It was an event where “art and light come together to honor the people who keep the market thriving,” said the visual artist, whose father is Puerto Rican and whose mother is Colombian.

“Light Up the Market was a community celebration highlighting permanent public art, light-box installations in small businesses, and temporary light installations created by my team since 2019 in honor of the immigrant workers who have shaped the history and culture of the South 9th Street Market,” Ortiz explained.

The educator emphasized that the project seeks to make workers visible, amplify their voices, and celebrate their resilience. “We want this market to truly belong to everyone and for every person to feel that they are a part of it,” she notes on her website.

Among Ortiz’s creative installations were weighing scales featuring portraits and recorded oral histories of fruit and vegetable vendors; an illuminated cart displaying images of pretzels and the story of the business owner; and a produce delivery truck transformed into an exhibition space featuring historic market footage from an Italian family business dating back to 1937, along with video testimonies from merchants. The tour also included an information cart dedicated to the Nuestro Mercado project.

The walk covered several businesses along 9th Street, from Federal Street to Carpenter Street. At each stop, participants learned about merchants whose contributions have helped shape the neighborhood’s identity and growth. As part of the experience, three restaurant owners and a café proprietor served appetizers, allowing guests to sample Mexican and Nicaraguan cuisine.