Insights, commentary and news

I will not share the statistics; we’ve all heard them. Safe to say that while other hate crimes have been trending down, anti-Asian hate crime is on the rise. 

I first heard of Noel Quintana while getting ready for work one morning. Hearing another Asian was attacked, I stopped what I was doing and watched. This one hit home, as Noel is Filipino, like me.

This is what happened to him: Noel Quintana, 61, was riding the L train to get to work in Harlem on Wednesday, February 3, when a man walked by and kicked the tote bag that Quintana had set on the train floor. When Quintana confronted the man after he noticed his bag being kicked again, the man took out a box cutter and slashed Quintana across the face from cheek to cheek.

Since seeing the news on Noel, I wanted to talk to him, to hear his story, and to let people hear, directly from him. But before getting into the interview, here is a little background on Noel and how he got to New York.

• He was born and grew up in the Philippines, and he worked in the Makati business district as an accountant (a very cosmopolitan area in Manila that would resemble any big city downtown).
• Before moving to N.Y., he visited the U.S. frequently (once a year).
• He had an office mate who moved to the U.S. and invited him to visit. He jumped at the chance and stayed in LA for almost three years, living with his sister.
• A friend of his invited him to move to N.Y.; it was during the recession, so he applied to be a barista (he couldn’t find an accounting gig). He loved it. There was no pressure — he didn’t bring the job home; he loved the snow and the Christmas season, and loved the feeling of preparing coffee with Christmas music in the air.
• But a few years ago, his hours dropped and so he looked for another job — he got an office job as an administrative assistant, which he is working at up to this day.
• When he came to NY, he felt at home (it was like where he was working in Makati) — N.Y. felt normal for him.
• His first encounter with racism: Upon moving to N.Y., he applied as a bookkeeper and received an interview, but when they saw him upon arrival, they’d told him they already hired someone.

Since his attack, we have had the Atlanta mass killings and more recently, the attack on a 65-year-old Filipina woman in New York. An attack where the doorman closed the door instead of helping her, watching her get brutally kicked again and again. Noel’s story has a similarity. In a train full of people, no one helped. In a train full of cellphones, there was no video shot. This is our interview.

• Tell me about the day of the attack. How did the day start? It was a Wednesday; offices had been closed for two days due to a storm and I was working virtually. So, on Wednesday, they opened, and I went to work. I was a bit late, so I took the train. The train was full, with no seats and people standing. So, I stood as well, on the opposite side from where people were entering/leaving. When the train stopped at the last stop in Brooklyn, a young man came on and stood by my side, and after a few minutes he kicked my tote bag. I moved my bag in front of him so it would not bother him. Then they guy kicked it again. The train was about to stop in the next station. I asked what was wrong with him and I moved away from him. When the door opened, he came toward me and slashed me. I saw he had a boxcutter but initially thought I was only punched. I saw the reactions of others and knew it was more than a punch. I put my hands on my face and saw blood. I panicked and the guy hurried out of the train. I asked for help and no one helped me.

So, I sought help outside of the train since no one in the train wanted to help. Outside the train, two people were there. One lady on the phone called 911. I decided to walk, as I was freaking out about losing blood. I walked to the booth and the guy at the booth called 911 and police came. I was asked to sit on the floor, but I didn’t want to as it was so dirty. I sat on the stairs. They cordoned off the area and, in a few minutes, an ambulance came with a medic and they asked if I could walk. I tried, but then felt dizzy, so I was put on a stretcher. I was brought to Bellevue hospital and they stitched my face, but blood would not stop so they asked my permission to be operated and I said yes. So, they did. I stayed overnight and left the following day.

• What has happened since the attack? What has changed? Do you feel different about living in N.Y.? Are you more worried? Have you changed what you do daily? No — I thought that was it. But, after a few days, the hospital called wanting my stitches removed. This was five to six days after. When I went there, I had an unexpected anxiety attack that I initially thought was a heart attack. I thought I was having a stroke due to numbness all over my body. But they ruled it out. I was then brought to the ER and observed for 24 hours. They gave me examinations and it was just an anxiety attack. I also now have sleepless nights. I am working with my doctor and my sleep is coming back. I now work at home only because I do not want to go back to the office. I seldom go out. But my counselor encourages me to do so. I go to the grocery, pharmacy or my doctor, who is around the corner. When I go out, I am very cautious of my surroundings. I do not want this to happen again.
• Asian hate is rising since the pandemic. Why do you think this is happening? Lots of speculation going on, lots of theories, but I think it is because of the pandemic. They blame it on Asians – that they brought the virus to the U.S. Unfortunately, they don’t know Asians too much.  Americans think all Asians are the same. Ignorance of Asian people and because they blame Asians for the virus is why this is happening.
• How did you feel when no one helped you? It’s so sad, but at that moment, I was more preoccupied looking for help than noticing no one was helping me. People record trivial things on the train. For no reason, most passengers have their phones handy due to messaging or chatting. No one even recorded the situation, even with all the phones people had out CCTV from the train was the only footage that showed the man. If only people had recorded what happened, it would be easier for him to be identified. They even record rats in the subway and people dancing in the train.
• Some people say it’s a hate crime, some people say it’s not, some people say it’s anti-Asian, some say not. What do you think? There is a lot of anti-Asian hate crime being done these days, but in my case, it’s really hard as he did not say anything. I do not know what was on his mind. But maybe it is, as I was the only Asian in his vicinity at the time. So maybe. I looked at him and the guy knew I was Asian.
• What do you want to tell other Asian Americans? To be cautious and aware of your surroundings. Avoid crowds and maybe, if possible, do not walk alone. Include other companions. If this ever happens to you and if you get abused, even verbally, report it. Asians are neglected because we keep our silence and we do not report these things to authorities.  Now that they are aware, they should do things to minimize this. Be in solidarity so our voices will be heard and not be neglected anymore.
• Do you feel happy being in N.Y.? Do you want to stay? [He thinks for a while] Maybe because I have nowhere else to go, I need to stay here for a few more years until retirement. Yes, well, I want to live somewhere else, but this is where my job is so there is no choice but to be here.
• If you were to look at your 3-year-old self, what advice or lessons would you share? To live truthfully, courageously and adventurously.  [“Perfect words to live by,” I say and he giggles.]
• Anything else to share? I want to thank all the people who have supported me, reached out, sent me encouraging messages, from people who don’t even know me. I thank them, as this makes me go on. I am glad I shared my story because it has inspired others. It caught the attention of people who will help Asians and protect us from this. By the way, are you a reporter? [I share with him that I am not, but that our ad agency has a strong DEI focus and that I wanted to get his story out there. I thank him and we say our goodbyes.]

Noel loved N.Y., the feeling of Christmas in the air, and felt normal in the big city. 

But Noel wants to live somewhere else now and can’t. 

Noel wants to tell his 3-year-old self to live with truth, courage and adventure.

But Noel shared his advice to avoid crowds and not be alone.

#StopAsianHate #StopFilipinoHate