You probably walked into a deli this week. You ordered a coffee. A sandwich. Maybe you didn’t think twice about the person behind the counter. I do now. Because one of them is gone.
Abdul Saleh was 28 years old. He worked at his family’s deli on the corner of East 13th Avenue and Avenue B. I’ve known him and his family for years. My mother worked at that store when I was 5. That deli has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.
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Abdul wasn’t just a worker. He was someone you felt safe around.
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He looked out for people. I’ve seen him walk women to their Ubers late at night so they wouldn’t be followed. I’ve seen him step in when something didn’t feel right. He learned sign language to communicate with members of the community. He spoke Spanish, so he could serve more of his neighbors.
He loved this community. And this community loved him back. But loving your community isn’t enough to survive in New York anymore.
For nearly a year, Saleh dealt with threats from a customer who had caused problems for years. His family knew this man. There were ongoing issues. Saleh was scared.
He did what he was supposed to do. They called the police. Sometimes they came five or six hours later. Sometimes they didn’t come at all.
He applied for a panic button through a New York City pilot program. He was never approved. No follow-up. Nothing.
Let that sink in.
A man who knew he was in danger asked for help from his city. And the city gave him silence. The warning signs were there. The protections were not.
On April 25, Abdul was working his first shift back at the deli. The same man came in and refused to pay. An argument broke out. It turned into a scuffle.
The man shot Abdul three times. Even after being shot, Saleh held on to him. His brother ran outside trying to pull them apart. That’s who he was. He didn’t run. He didn’t hide. He fought. And now he’s gone.
Saleh had a dream. He was working to bring his wife and children from Yemen to the United States. That was his goal. That was what he was building toward every day behind that counter.
Now his family is still here, still running that deli, still serving the same neighborhood without him. And we are left asking a question that should haunt every person in City Hall: How many warnings does it take before New York acts?
This is not just about Abdul Saleh. This is about every deli and bodega worker across this city who shows up for work, not knowing if they will make it home. These workers are everywhere. They are open when everything else is closed. They serve everyone. And right now, they are exposed. They are sitting ducks.
That’s why I started a petition on Change.org calling on the New York City Council to pass Abdul’s Law, the Deli and Bodega Workers Safety Act. Because if the city won’t act on its own, the people need to force it to.
Abdul’s Law is simple: Panic buttons in every deli and bodega; security cameras covering entrances and cashier areas; annual worker safety training so employees know how to de-escalate and protect themselves; city funding and tax incentives so small businesses are not punished for trying to stay safe.
This is basic. This is common sense. This is the bare minimum.
The city already had a program for panic buttons. It was supposed to reach hundreds of stores. Saleh applied. He never got one. No one followed up. No one checked in. Now it’s too late for him.
I never saw myself doing this. I’m a single mother of two. I work in child welfare. I stayed away from politics because it gets heated and messy. But this is not politics. This is personal.
My mother lives across the street from that deli. This happened in my neighborhood to someone I knew, someone who looked out for all of us. This petition is the least I can do for someone who gave so much.
New Yorkers need to understand what’s at stake.
The person handing you your coffee in the morning is not just a worker. They are part of your daily life. Your routine. Your sense of normal. And right now, they are not safe.
No worker should have to choose between their safety and their job.
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Abdul Saleh spoke up. He asked for help. He did everything right. New York City failed him. We cannot fail the next person.
Pass Abdul’s Law. Act now.
Estefanie Nieves is a lifelong East Village resident and single mother of two who works in child welfare. She grew up around the family-owned deli on East 13th Avenue and Avenue B, where her mother worked when she was a child, and has known Abdul Saleh and his family for over a decade. In the wake of Saleh’s killing, she launched a Change.org petition calling on New York City officials to pass “Abdul’s Law” to improve safety protections for deli and bodega workers across the city.
