Alina Rose Chen Photos
Maria Alejandra Hawke Lopez in her office on Grand.
The new district manager of the business-boosting Grand Avenue Special Services District (GASSD) has her sights set on organizing an eco-friendly mural made from recycled materials, establishing a local farmers market in the Fair Haven neighborhood, and hosting community fairs to showcase the 93 small businesses along the Grand Avenue commercial corridor.
Those are some of the goals of Maria Alejandra Hawke Lopez as she steps into the role of GASSD’s new district manager.
Formed in 2009 by business owners along Grand Avenue in Fair Haven, GASSD is one of four special service districts in New Haven and home to the city’s highest concentration of Latino-owned businesses. The organization recently hired Hawke Lopez, who is now a month into the job, to carry forward its mission of supporting and growing the local business community.
“This role has allowed me to combine my passion for community building with practical force to support local businesses and improve quality of life in our neighborhood,” Hawke Lopez said. “Our goal is to keep lifting our voices and make Grand Avenue a place where everyone feels safe.
Hawke Lopez comes to GASSD from her time as the founder of Resistencia Médica, where she has worked to serve vulnerable communities in Venezuela and the New Haven Latin immigrant community by providing access to nutrition, healthcare, and education. She has also worked previously with KNOWN Coworking, which served as a downtown community hub and workspace for minority-owned businesses until its closing in October 2024.
As district manager, Hawke Lopez collaborates with GASSD President Alberto Busto, Treasurer Musa Ugurlo, and Secretary Laura Hernández. She spends her days working on site, visiting the local businesses, speaking to the owners and workers, and advocating for their needs. “Each of them brings a unique perspective, but we share one common goal: to make Grand Avenue a safer, stronger, and more dynamic place for residents, visitors, and the hardworking families that sustain its local economy,” she said.
With 93 businesses in the commercial corridor, "if you want anything, Grand Avenue has it," Hawke said.
Currently, Hawke Lopez is planning in conjunction with CitySeed Executive Director and Fair Haven Alder Sarah Miller and other groups to start a local farmers market, aiming to “help attract more people, promote fresh products, and bring greater visibility to our local businesses.”
Long term, she is also spearheading an environmentally conscious mural project made from recycled plastic bottle caps, which she plans to collect from nearby schools and businesses. Lopez is in active talks with renowned Venezuelan artist Oscar Olivares — whose eco-murals have been featured in countries around the world, including Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, France, and Italy — to bring the initiative to Grand Avenue. The project is designed to raise environmental awareness and promote recycling, with hopes that Olivares will begin work locally within the next year.
“For me, activism and community development go hand in hand,” Hawke said. “They nourish and strengthen one another.”