Critical race theory-based 1619 Project founder Nikole Hannah-Jones appeared to mock one person’s concerns over subway safety in a Thursday tweet.
Yiatin Chu, president of Political club Asian Wave Alliance, which brands itself as a nonpartisan political club for Asian-American New Yorkers, detailed her experience riding New York City’s subway claiming she witnessed a man being aggressive to a woman. She further recounted the smell of a separate train car being akin to a “public toilet.”
“Paid $2.75 to be in a subway car with a loud and aggressive man threatening to hit his female partner,” she wrote. “Switched cars at next stop to be in a public toilet / urine-odor, crowded car for the rest of my ride. This is [Kathy Hochul] and [Eric Adams’] NYC.”
Paid $2.75 to be in a subway car with a loud and aggressive man threatening to hit his female partner. Switched cars at next stop to be in a public toilet / urine-odor, crowded car for the rest of my ride. This is @KathyHochul and @NYCMayor’s NYC.
— Yiatin Chu (@ycinnewyork) November 17, 2022
“Hochul and Adams own it. They said so themselves,” Chu continued, citing an October press release from Governor Hochul and NYC Mayor Adams announcing efforts to increase officer presence on subway platforms at over 300 stations during peak hours by approximately 1,200 daily overtime shifts.
“Yes, yes. This was absolutely unheard on subways until two years ago,” Hannah-Jones said, appearing to brush off Chu’s subway experience.
“I’ve been taking the subways since the 1980s. It’s not new but it is more widespread and not getting better,” Chu rebutted Hannah-Jones’ response. “Our electeds said they would address it but we haven’t seen improvements. Why should we accept these conditions for our commute.”
I’ve been taking the subways since the 1980s. It’s not new but it is more widespread and not getting better.
Our electeds said they would address it but we haven’t seen improvements. Why should we accept these conditions for our commute.
— Yiatin Chu (@ycinnewyork) November 17, 2022
Other users similarly criticized Hannah-Jones’ for “denying” and “minimizing” Chu’s experience.
“Why are you denying Yiatin’s lived experience?” Natalya Murakhver of Restore Childhood said. “She didn’t say it was unheard of 2 years ago but anyone who rides the subway knows that these incidents have increased & no amount of gaslighting will erase them. Minimizing is petty. You’re not helping anyone by doing it.”
Why are you denying Yiatin's lived experience? She didn't say it was unheard of 2 years ago but anyone who rides the subway knows that these incidents have increased & no amount of gaslighting will erase them.
Minimizing is petty. You're not helping anyone by doing it.
— Natalya Murakhver (@AppletoZucchini) November 17, 2022
“It is really dehumanizing. I don’t understand how NHJ doesn’t see that,” Murakhver continued in a follow up post. “Or perhaps she does & it is intentional. To turn on another woman, a mother. This is fake engagement & does nothing but inflame.”
“It’s dehumanizing for me to point out the fallacy of pushing racist, conservative ‘crime is out of control’ narratives that lead to more carceral policies for my community?” Hannah-Jones responded.
It's dehumanizing for me to point out the fallacy of pushing racist, conservative "crime is out of control" narratives that lead to more carceral policies for my community?
— Ida Bae Wells (@nhannahjones) November 18, 2022
“Your community? Like where the Upper East Side?” Murakhver continued. “You failed your community long ago by feeling [sic] to stand with open schools parents to restore normalcy to the most vulnerable children in NYC & America. It’s totally disingenuous to claim you care about them now.”
“The Upper East Side. Dying. I knew I was wasting my time on silliness. Enjoy ya night!” Hannah-Jones responded, dismissing Murakhver’s criticism.
The Upper East Side. Dying. I knew I was wasting my time on silliness. Enjoy ya night!
— Ida Bae Wells (@nhannahjones) November 18, 2022
“Nikole grew up in Iowa. Yiatin grew up in Queens,” said one user. “Yiatin went to public school in Queens as an English language learner and commuted to Bronx Science as a teenager in the 80’s…some of us have decades of NYC living to draw on, not just the last two (admittedly garbage) years.”
The user added: “Despite the 343% increase in anti-Asian hate crimes last year (where many of the victims were women), the NYTimes liberal elite think it’s okay to mock Asian women who advocate for public safety. Yiatan even mentioned a man threatening to beat a woman yet you still mocked her.”
Despite the 343% increase in anti-Asian hate crimes last year (where many of the victims were women), the NYTimes liberal elite think it’s okay to mock Asian women who advocate for public safety.
Yiatan even mentioned a man threatening to beat a woman yet you still mocked her.
— 💉🐦 Jason Curtis Anderson (@JCAndersonNYC) November 18, 2022
“I don’t understand the urge for people w/power to try & humiliate regular people,” another user opined. “Yiatin is a NYC mom. She’s also Asian & there’s been increase of violence against Asians the past 2 yrs. I thought you were for ‘lived experience’? or only applies when it fits your narrative?”
I don’t understand the urge for people w/power to try & humiliate regular people. Yiatin is a NYC mom. She’s also Asian & there’s been increase of violence against Asians the past 2 yrs. I thought you were for “lived experience”? or only applies when it fits your narrative?
— (Formerly) Brooklyn Mom (@graciefacelove) November 18, 2022
Hate crimes in New York City have risen 16% along with a 28.4% increase in total crime since 2019, according to New York Police Department Comp Stat.
