Kensington, a small neighborhood in the North East of Philadelphia, is considered one of the largest open-air drug markets in the country. Last week, it made national headlines when the FBI publicly raided and arrested over two dozen people who FBI Director Kash Patel claimed were leaders of one of the most notorious organized crime groups in the city.
Monique Taylor knows the story of Kensington firsthand. She spends her days in the streets of the neighborhood providing direct care to people struggling with substance abuse disorder as an outreach specialist for Project HOME.
Monique herself struggled with homelessness and substance abuse and was in and out of prison in her 30’s.
She spoke to Philadelphia Neighborhoods about her current work in Kensington, her past experiences with incarceration and addiction, and her vision for Kensington’s path forward.
