Institutional Racism in HKU

In November of last year, a teacher at HKU-Media resigned because of institutional racism. For years, this teacher experienced comments, questions, and a feeling of loneliness as one of the only teachers of colour. This led to them not feeling welcome at HKU. After years of futile attempts to shine a light on this injustice, they did not see another option other than to resign. The fact that an excellent teacher, and a pillar of support for students of colour, did not feel at home for years is utterly unforgivable.

Unfortunately at the HKU, this is not the exception, but the rule. At HKU there is institutional racism; students and teachers of all studies and locations experience this, and don’t feel as at home as they should. This feeling is not often pronounced because there is a lot of ignorance and incomprehension among students that don’t share these experiences. This ignorance is fed by empty promises of diversity and inclusion that the HKU makes, however there clearly is institutional racism, and the HKU takes far too few concrete actions to change this.

The student union holds HKU responsible for the institutional racism that is evidently present in our community. The HKU has to take more concrete actions to inform students and teachers, so that everyone, no matter their skin colour, religious beliefs or gender, can feel at home at our HKU