A documentary by a Filipino student raises concerns about the growing problem of racial bullying against ethnic minorities in Hong Kong.
Jianne Soriano, producer and director of the documentary titled Own Voices: Breaking Stereotypes, said the film aimed to tell the stories of ethnic minorities in Hong Kong and shine a light on the problem of race-based bullying, sunwebhk.com reported.
In Soriano’s documentary, she pointed out that there is segregation between local Hong Kong students and foreign students. The students who appeared in the film expressed their thoughts on the stereotyping and discrimination they had experienced.
Mahum Shaikh, 19, a computer-science student at the City University of Hong Kong, said the biggest challenge for her was facing racism and the segregation she experienced because of being a different race from the majority in Hong Kong.
“We aren’t different, we are humans just like you,” Shaikh said.
Deeran Kumar, 20, a Hong Kong-born ethnic Indian, said he felt that the city was not welcoming international people, and he feels that Hong Kong is not his home.
“We ethnic minorities would love to integrate into their society, but because of their one narrow-minded perception, it just hinders us,” Kumar said.
Soriano said the documentary served as a voice for ethnic minorities in Hong Kong.
“I feel that in order to be heard, we have to tell our stories genuinely instead of relying on assumptions,” Soriano said.
