“The other day, I got stopped in the subway and one of the passengers started screaming racial slurs at me. I was dressed in scrubs and it was pretty clear that I was on my way to the hospital. Luckily, somebody stepped in and pushed him away and said, “No. You can’t do this.”

At 7 p.m. every night, I sit and listen as people across New York City cheer the health care workers. At the same time, I read the news about how people of my ilk are experiencing tensions that they haven’t experienced in modern history.

When all of this started, the first thing my parents told me was, “Don’t be a hero. But I know you’re not going to listen to me.” They know me too well—I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”