It was a 10-minute walking commute to work that she makes almost every day. But on this February morning, it resulted in an attack. That morning, Oranicha Jumreornvong, a third-year medical student at Mount Sinai’s School of Medicine, was walking to the hospital to cover a shift when she was physically attacked by a random person on the street. She was assailed with racial slurs.
Jumreornvong, who is originally from Thailand, had spent the past year working on the front lines, battling COVID-19 in New York, her adopted home. On the day of her attack, she was wearing a white coat and scrubs. But regardless, she was targeted. Although she is still experiencing trauma, Jumreornvong is often seen at rallies and protests marching alongside fellow healthcare workers. She is driven to speak out with the hopes of helping others who are afraid.
