In memoriam of the one-year anniversary of the demise of Michelle Go, the New Yorker who was pushed in front of an oncoming prepare final January, Sarinya Srisakul, an FDNY firefighter, organized a day of healing for Asian American women.
The occasion, attended by dozens of folks, included a poem studying by Ishle Yi Park, the first girl to turn into poet laureate of Queens. Park learn a poem they wrote particularly to honor Go. After sharing a second of silence, self-defense instructors led workshops on situational consciousness and subway security. Contributors have been requested to debate what security seems prefer to their communities.
“We’ve started doing these healing events because we felt that it was really important to address Michelle’s story,” Srisakul mentioned. “Our main program is we send out free self-defense kits for New York City AAPI women and femmes.”
Michelle’s father, Justin, shared a assertion at the occasion: “Thank you for your condolences and prayers for Michelle Alyssa Go on this first anniversary of her passing. Michelle came to New York to better her life and the lives of those around her. Please remember Michelle for how she lived. And not for how she died. With your help, we can honor her legacy by making the world a better and safer place to be.”
After Go’s demise final 12 months, Srisakul, who turned the primary Asian girl firefighter in New York Metropolis in 2007, went to job and created a fast video on how folks might survive getting pushed onto the subway tracks.
“I’ve had years of experience of responding to subway calls,” Srisakul mentioned. ” I needed to share my coaching and my data with of us.”
Going even additional to guard AAPI women in New York Metropolis, Srisakul based Offended Asian Womxn to lift cash for self-defense kits that she would mail to anybody who requested one. So far, she’s mailed 3,200 kits throughout town.
“I myself have been assaulted 10 years ago,” Srisakul mentioned. “I was walking home and this guy was hiding in the shadows and he came behind me and started choking me and assaulting me. I had taken a self-defense class before so I was able to fight him off me. That’s why I started doing this work.”
Limchi Sang, an early childhood trainer and martial arts teacher at Dragon Fight Membership, co-led the self-defense workshop and demonstrated methods to use the kuboton and pepper spray. Sang and Nina So, one other fight membership teacher, taught contributors a number of preventing and defensive stances to take in the event that they turn into bodily threatened.
“Being able to connect with so many women was healing and empowering,” Sang mentioned.
Having lived in New York Metropolis for over 50 years, Sang believes that the MTA wants to deal with questions of safety by selling situational consciousness and expediting extra police patrols.
The MTA introduced plans to put in limitations at three stations as half of a pilot program following Go’s demise. The three subway stations introduced for platform limitations are Occasions Sq., Third Avenue station, and the Sutphin Boulevard-Archer Avenue–JFK Airport. The request for proposals was launched final July. The MTA is anticipating to award the undertaking close to the center of the 12 months.
The Everlasting Residents Advisory Committee to the MTA is trying ahead to the updates, however hope for extra safety measures.
“We’re looking forward to seeing what the results of this proposals are,” PCAC Government Director Lisa Daglian mentioned. “We’re going to continue to advocate for additional security measures in the subway system including live action cameras, the use of data deployment, (and) for police and security.”
Srisakul scheduled one other day of healing to honor the demise of Christina Yuna Lee, who was killed inside her Chinatown condominium, shortly after Go died. The occasion is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 12 at the Apex for Youth in Chinatown.
“I personally heal by being in community,” Srisakul mentioned. “Being in a space with other folks who have the same drive of helping one another was really helpful. It was very therapeutic.”