New York —
Roosevelt Avenue in Queens runs through one of New York City’s most densely populated neighborhoods, a cacophonous display of diversity underneath the 7 train.
There are Colombian restaurants and taco stalls next to Indian food and fruit stands. Vendors sell homemade tamales and grilled meat. There are cell phone repair stores that double as money transfer counters and eyebrow threading salons side by side. Walk around some more and you can buy saris or imported shapewear that promise to slim down the figure.
Usually at night and sometimes by day, sex workers can also be seen walking the avenue and throughout the Jackson Heights neighborhood.
The problem has vexed New York City’s two most recent mayoral administrations. Now, it’s become an issue in the mayor’s race.
Zohran Mamdani’s opponents point to his support for decriminalizing sex work as evidence that the Democratic nominee is soft on crime, though Mamdani’s campaign argues he doesn’t support legalizing it either.
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