An act of courage submission for the 1000 Acts of Courage campaign – a community-building conscious action campaign collecting one thousand courageous acts for the well-being, empowerment, and equity of girls and women:
When I was living in New York City, I saw a woman who I causally knew being verbally harassed by a tough-looking man. Acting without thinking too much, I went to her side, greeted her enthusiastically, and quickly walked her away. The guy was surprised, but slowly followed us. Soon I ushered her through a doorway that led to the busy kitchen of a Chinese restaurant with several cooks, to whom I explained that we were seeking sanctuary. The tough man didn’t enter; she and I waited until he walked away from the door. She and I held hands until she calmed down, and we left through the front door and into the sunshine.