Hong Kong Adventist College Student Uses Fashion And Dance to Combat Racism
10 June 2019 | The South China Morning Post ran a June 1 story on a psychology student at Hong Kong Adventist College who co-founded a fashion, music and dance show in the territory.
Harmony “Ann-Marie” Ilungu fled the Democratic Republic of Congo and was allowed protection as a refugee in Hong Kong.
Ilungu founded the show with four other immigrants. The goal of the show is to combat racism by showcasing performers from a diverse range of immigration profiles, ethnic and national backgrounds. Harmony HK is specifically aimed at changing perceptions of refugees.
A model herself, Harmony “Ann-Marie” Ilungu said that she had been told she was “too dark.” She said that diversity was not appreciated in Hong Kong.
“Hongkongers often label us as ‘illegal immigrants’ or ‘fake refugees,’ but you can’t blame them because that’s how we’re often portrayed in local media,” she says. “We hope to help Hongkongers develop a different attitude towards refugees, so one day nobody here will be judged for their skin color.”