March 11, 2020. Night.
I witnessed the moment the world began to collapse.
It was not an explosion.
No sound, no warning—
just a quiet, steady unraveling.
｜Ignition Point — March 11, 2020, 7:56 PM
March 11, 2020, 7:56 PM (Eastern Time).
I had just finished class and stopped by Trader Joe’s near Baruch College.
That was when I received a message from CUNY.
In-person classes were suspended.
All courses would move online.
The moment that message arrived—
the air changed.
People rushed in all at once.
Without thinking, I grabbed whatever was in front of me—
bread, snacks, fruits, vegetables, pasta, oatmeal, meat, frozen foods, toilet paper—
Everything was disappearing from the shelves.
Not gradually.
Instantly.
Photo by Kanna
I managed to secure about a week’s worth of food.
Ten minutes later, I would have gotten nothing.
The shock was undeniable.
What is going to happen?
Will I still be alive in a few months?
Will I be able to return to Japan?
An overwhelming, unidentifiable fear set in.
And yet—
no one panicked.
It was quiet.
Perhaps people were trying to appear calm.
But something had clearly begun.
A long line formed at the register.
It took nearly an hour to check out.
During that time, people stayed glued to their phones—
messaging someone, searching for information.
｜When Everyday Life Collapsed All at Once
That same night, the world shifted.
The NBA season was suspended.
President Trump announced a travel ban from Europe.
The World Health Organization declared a pandemic.
All at once.
I realized—
I was standing in the middle
of New York’s first true wave of panic buying.
｜The City Without People
Within days, the city emptied.
Where did everyone go?
It felt as if time had stopped.
No—
more than that—
as if I had been left behind alone.
Photo by Kanna
Photo by Kanna
Grocery shopping was still permitted.
But shelves remained empty.
Stores limited entry. People kept their distance.
Sometimes, I walked nearly two kilometers to a Japanese grocery store.
Just to survive.
｜7 PM — When New York Became One
After a while, something changed.
In the evenings, sound returned.
Applause. Cheers.
Every day at 7 PM,
people opened their windows, stepped onto balconies,
and clapped and shouted.
For firefighters. For ambulances. For healthcare workers.
Sirens responded in return.
The sound echoed across the city.
It grew louder every day.
The first time I saw it,
I broke down in tears on my way home.
Even in fear—
people chose gratitude.
Japanese restaurant workers volunteered as well,
preparing meals for healthcare workers.
As a fellow Japanese, I felt proud.
Photo by Kanna
Photo by Kanna
｜A Healthcare System on the Brink
At that time, New York was beyond its limits.
Protective gowns, masks, ventilators—
everything was in short supply.
Healthcare workers were exhausted.
Working through sleepless nights,
losing weight, dark circles under their eyes.
Many lived apart from their families to avoid infecting them.
Still, infections spread.
Deaths increased.
In one apartment building I knew, four people died.
In my own building, I heard that two had passed away.
Death was no longer distant.
｜Black Lives Matter — When Justice Began to Fracture
Spring to summer, 2020.
The Black Lives Matter movement spread across the United States.
At first, the protests were peaceful.
Photo by Kanna
But gradually, things began to change.
Photo by Kanna
Demonstrations escalated—
from protest to unrest.
Photo by Kanna
Photo by Kanna
Luxury stores were looted.
Windows shattered. Interiors destroyed.
Police cars and trash bins were set on fire.
The city was breaking again.
｜The Day I Became a Target
Then came anti-Asian hate.
People were pushed onto subway tracks.
Random attacks increased.
It was no longer just news.
It became reality.
For people around me—
and for me.
It was daytime.
I was walking toward Trader Joe’s on 6th Avenue.
A young man approached from the opposite direction.
As we passed,
his hand suddenly reached for my face.
I instinctively deflected it with my elbow.
But he didn’t stop.
He tried again.
This time, pulling at my mask.
When his hand touched my cheek,
every nerve in my body sharpened.
I pushed him away and ran.
Behind me, I could hear him shouting.
｜And Yet, the City Did Not Stop
New York was breaking.
But it never stopped.
Restaurants that had closed
began building outdoor spaces.
Photo by Kanna
Wooden structures lined the sidewalks.
Each one uniquely designed.
People returned.
Laughter returned.
The silence of just months before
felt unreal.
And I realized—
This city rises again and again.
｜Quality of Life — Three Truths Found in Crisis
1. Being alive is a miracle
The future is never guaranteed.
Only how we choose to live now.
2. Coexistence is not an ideal—it is a painful reality
A multicultural society is not simple.
Conflict and fear are part of it.
3. Humans—and cities—will rebuild
Even when broken, even when everything seems lost, people still find a way to move forward.
And cities, like people, rise again.
REFERENCES
CNN. “Anti-Asian hate crimes increased by 335% in New York City.” June 5, 2021.
https://www.cnn.co.jp/usa/35171877.html
Business Insider Japan. “COVID-19 deaths surge in New York.” November 24, 2020.
https://www.businessinsider.jp/article/224634/
The Wall Street Journal. “NYC Dead Remained in Freezer Trucks After COVID Surge.”
https://www.wsj.com/us-news/nyc-dead-stay-in-freezer-trucks-set-up-during-spring-covid-19-surge-11606050000
TBS NEWS DIG. “Assault incidents targeting Asian residents.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyILFowW4uo
CNN. “Attack against Asian woman in NYC subway.”
https://www.cnn.co.jp/usa/35182140.html
CNN. “Violent assault cases against Asians.”
https://www.cnn.co.jp/usa/35183774.html
Bunshun Online. “Japanese pianist attacked in New York.”
https://bunshun.jp/articles/-/57299
