We Are HKers - "Forget About Formalities, Speak Your Mind, and Strive For Happiness"

“At that time, I constantly reminded myself that if I can choose my own personality, I wanted my personality to resemble theirs. If Hong Kong is a place that encourages this form of personalities and attitudes, one day I would want to stay and live in Hong Kong.”

Since I was a child, I have always strongly equated Hong Kong with families and voices of welcome. Growing up in the UK, my family and I only went back to Hong Kong once every three years. This made it difficult to interact and to keep updated with my huge extended family back in Hong Kong. With this three year gap, the young me always worried whether they would still like me, or whether I could still interact with them. For this exact reason, the night before flying back to Hong Kong is always something that keeps me awake at night. However, every-time when I stepped out of the plane after landing and smelled that distinct Hong Kong scent, I would be welcomed joyously with all my cousins, aunts and uncles, and my grandparents with open arms and surrounded by their warm hugs. This bond with my family, this feeling of warmth, is what makes Hong Kong by far my favourite place to spend my summer.

I am fortunate to be surrounded by over 20 loving and fun cousins who would take me everywhere. From the sweltering outdoor heat to the freezing shopping malls blasted with air-con. From all kinds of food stalls and treats to all kinds of entertainment and gadgets.

It isn't only the aisles of Asian snacks and Gundam models that made me happy (although they did contribute), but the fact that my cousins are so willing to communicate and to interact with me despite having only known me very briefly every summer in their lives.

Read more stories

HKers' Stories

【Video】Warren Stuart | Godfather of skateboarding – Persistence and community (Part 1)

Warren Stuart is a Hongkonger who helped shape the skateboarding community in Hong Kong. In Part I, he recounts his earliest memories of the sport, and explains Hong Kong’s skateboarding scene. He also offers advice for amateur skateboarders.

Gary Yau | Hong Kong Road Signs and Prison Gothic Font Preservation

Gary Yau, a Hongkonger in his 20s, created the “Road Research Society” in 2016. He has spent several years cataloguing the remaining 500-600 road signs featuring Hong Kong’s unique bilingual “Prison Gothic” font and have reproduced this font in published books and online posts that share information regarding roadways.

Michelle Cheung | Paragon Tea Room—Tea for the open-minded

Michelle Cheung is a prolific young business owner who is making waves in the Vancouver cafe scene. Her current endeavour: Paragon Tea Room, has just celebrated its 2nd anniversary, boasts a modest 4.8 stars on Google, and attracts guests from all over the Greater Vancouver area. Born and raised in Hong Kong, she never planned to have a career in Canada, but now that she’s cultivating a gateway for Vancouver to connect with Eastern tea traditions, she hopes she can make Hong Kong proud someday. Read on to discover her ambitions for Paragon and beyond.

【Video】House of To Kwa Wan Stories | Home uprooted in the name of development - Farewell imminent, but community lives on

House of To Kwa Wan Stories, or “To Home” was established in Hung Fuk Street back in 2014 and now operates alongside Fixing Hong Kong and Community Cultural Concern. To Home is a one-of-a-kind community space, pushing for community development and the recording and archiving of To Kwa Wan’s stories, aimed at entering and being part of the community. With To Kwa Wan as a base camp, To Home hopes to connect the community as if it were a family, and to defend the ecumene that holds countless stories and tales. As To Kwa Wan is designated for urban renewal, and To Home’s fate is sealed along with its neighbours, members of To Home are now racing against the clock to maintain and record the fading area’s culture and vibe. In this interview, we have Sui Ling and Bun sharing their work and feelings as To Home faces the independent fate of urban renewal and eviction.

Toda Nakataro | Director of ‘Chronicle’ animated music video–The mind and thoughts are our final fortress

Toda Nakataro is a young multimedia artist. This year they produced the music video for “Chronicle” by The Hertz, a local Hong Kong band, and received resounding positive feedback. Many viewers were impressed and surprised to see such high-calibre animations created in Hong Kong.

Anki Suen | Chinese calligraphy tattoo artist - Pursuing a happy life

At the age of 25, Anki quit a job she loved, but which limited her creativity. She became a tattoo artist, taking back her voice in creation and became her own boss. Let’s follow her along this journey.

【Video】Peter Chan│Reality is more absurd than a script. We won’t give up until our last breath

Peter Chan is a Hong Kong actor with extensive experience. He was nominated for Best New Performer in the 13th Asian Film Awards and the 38th Hong Kong Film Awards. During the pandemic, he fell into deep despair which prompted self reflection: as an actor, can I do something for humanity?

【Video】Albert Wan | The Power of Human Stories

Albert Wan left his life as a lawyer in the United States, where he grew up, to become a bookstore owner in Hong Kong, where his parents are from. Together with his wife, he opened Bleak House, one of the few independent bookstores in Hong Kong that specialises in English books.

Dr Lucci Lugee Liyeung | Holding a scalpel by day and a paintbrush by night

Dr Lucci Lugee Liyeung treats numerous orthopedics patients by day, but once she takes off her scrubs, she is an artist that gives life to many popular cartoon characters. When she talks about these characters, her eyes sparkle with excitement. She hopes that her creations will give Hongkongers positive energy during these difficult times.

Derek Chan | Writing Hong Kong from a distance -- yellow objects．黃色物件

Derek Chan 陳嘉昊 grew up in colonial Hong Kong, studied in Norway, and currently lives in Vancouver. He received his BFA in theatre performance from Simon Fraser University. A playwright, director, performer, translator, and producer, Derek has been co-artistic director of rice & beans theatre since 2010.

Forget About Formalities, Speak Your Mind, and Strive For Happiness