David Garcia pulls a pink wagon behind him as he walks along Sixth Avenue in South Tucson Monday night. Inside the wagon is an open case of bottled water, a cooler with some waters chilling in ice, hygiene kits and a speaker blasting cumbia music.
Garcia owns Barrio Restoration, a business that offers neighborhood and yard-cleaning services, and workshops that teach people how to turn old tires into planters. He also often volunteers and leads community groups to clean south side neighborhoods. On Monday, he and about 14 others use trash grabbers to pick up litter along the side of the road, in parking lots and on the sidewalk.
Most of them wear hats to shade their face and provide some respite from the 105-degree heat.
Along the way, Garcia and Roxanna Valenzuela, mayor of the city of South Tucson, stop to check on people living unhoused. They ask if they need any resources or help. Garcia offers cold water, hygiene kits and explains their mission: they’re working to clean up and care for the barrio…