Emerging Subjectivity - Fixing HK

EMERGING SUBJECTIVITY

Bettina Chow ADS 9

UMBRELLA MOVEMENT

The Umbrella Movement happened in Hong Kong in 2014 It was an awakening movement for Hong Kongers to rethink about our society and identity. The movement which lasted around 4 months was to strive for democracy and universal suffrage. It brought people together to voice our demands. Occupy Central was significant, the long term battle inspired people to set up temporary structures not just for demonstration but also eat, sleep, work and study together.

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Umbrella Movement

left 1. Occupy Movement on Harcourt Road 2. ‘I want Universal Suffrage’ banner right 3. Harcourt Road fully occupied by people

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Umbrella Revolution

Demonstration Furniture During the few months of demonstration and Occupy Movement, people developed systems of temporary furniture and tents on the streets. Being outdoor damaged some of the structures, protestors who are also repairing technician volunteered to fix.

After the movement, they formed a group to continue the support network and connection between people.

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Fixing Hong Kong

Fixing Hong Kong is a group of volunteer formed by diversed people.

From social workers to students, technicians and people living in the To Kwa Wan district. They aim to help needed families to fix homes, appliances and small scale improvements works, thus connect the neighbourhood.

Their mission is to promote the importance of collectiveness and democracy, then empower people to participate in social and policy making.

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Fixing Hong Kong

Volunteers Members in the volunteer team have a full time job, therefore all meetings and events are held after-work hours, weekends and holdays.

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Location Fixing Hong Kong is located in an office in To Kwa Wan, eastern of the Kowloon Peninsula. The area used to be sites of industrial production, now populated with warehouse and garage located at the street level. Typically rent is lower than that of city centre.

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Location

Demography The area still remained the old Tong Lau built in around 1960s.

Many lacked maintenance and management.

The lower rent attracted low income households and new immigrants to live in, which are the target group of Fixing Hong Kong.

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1. post boards 2. activity photos 3. office interior

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Office

4. office

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regular meeting home visit planning scheduling meeting scheduling meeting

Meeting

Neighbourhood Meeting Apart from regular meetings among volunteers, Fix Hong Kong also hold meetings open to the public, especially to those who live around the area.

This not only encourage people to participate in the community, also allow them to contribute in discussions, even teach classes of their native language and tutoring school children mathematics.

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Mission and Aim Fix Hong Kong belive that by providing free fixing service around the house, they could reach out to those who needed help but could not afford.

Through communication and visits, they hope to promote sense of belonging to the To Kwa Wan community, also further spreading the values and message of democracy after Umbrella Revolution

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Fixing

1. fixing broken suitcases 2. tools brought to home visits

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Volunteers sourced second-hand air-conditioner for a man living alone. He lost his mobility after an accident, unable to afford repairing or buying a new one.

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Fixing

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fixing electrics demonstrating use of new appliance fixing stove fixing switches

Fixing

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Fixing ceiling light in living room for a woman who did not have the skill to do so. She was living in dark during evening, relying only on light from outside the street.

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Fixing

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fixing toilet pump fixing water outlet people explaining the problem fixing the flush system

Fixing

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Fixing

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connecting television to signal optimizing television people explaining the problem fixing television antenna demonstrating way to use

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Service Area Due to the cost of repairing, material and technical difficulty, Fix Hong Kong mainly provide help in small scale repairment, eg. broken toilet, light, kitchen appliances and installation of airconditioner, television etc.

People who are in need can drop by their office or call them to discuss. Some of the requests involving scaffolding, heavy lifting or speciality may be directed to other organizations.

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top 1. planning for window fix 2. fix window 3. damaged wall and window 4. damaged wall bottom 5. fixing cracks and holes in wall

Fixing

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Neighbourhood

left 1. home of ethnic minority right 2. home of elderly couple 3. home of ethnic minority 4. home of single person

Neighbourhood Community Apart from fixing and helping familes with practical problems, volunteers also visit the homes in team to chat and understand their daily lives. They would discuss and bring important current issues and government policy updates for those who are less accessible to news and internet.

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Political Participation

left 1. protest banner making 2. march on universal pension scheme 3. protest march right 4. assembly on universal pension scheme

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Political Participation Corresponding to the organization’s founding aim, Fixing Hong Kong actively participate in political events, providing discussion platform and also assisting people in the neighbourhood to voice their concerns and opinion.

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Political Participation

left 1. talk in a tent on street 2. sign with ‘Community Forum’ all welcome 3. talks and Q&A right 4. Prof. Yiu, candidate of the Legco election

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Across Social Groups The To Kwa Wan community is very diverse in terms of ethnicity, family structure and income group. Fixing Hong Kong would also reach out to them as they gather on street in the evening, not limited to local Hong Kongers.

Volunteers would chat to them on street and hand out leaflets to promote their free fixing services and aims.

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Community

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Movie Screening

Rooftop film screening One of the previous event was to clear illegal dumping at this rooftop.

Now, the space is returned to the neighbourhood, provided a outdoor space for film screening along with nightview of Hong Kong. This is particularly organized for children and parents.

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Community

Political Awareness To increase people’s awareness of current affairs, street stations were set up every Thursday at the main street to hand out information, show reliable news on television and hold informal polling to engage people.

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Festival and Celebration Festivals like Chinese New Year, Mid-Autumn festival is important celebration in the culture. Traditionally, it is important in bringing family members together and share the joy. Fixing Hong Kong also hold gathering on street for those who want to share the warmth with each other.

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Events

Special Events Other than regular services, events like making food, hosting sharing, talks and movie screening encourages people of different interest to come together. It is another way of connecting the neighbourhood.

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Publicity

Public Attention The organization is nonprofitable based on minimal funding from other charity organizations. Gaining power from the collective of people, volunteers go on radio shows, television programmes and set up booth on annual 7.1 March to gain publicity and fund-raising.

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Publicity

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Other Projects

DOMAT Community and Architecture The office was invited by House of To Kwa Wan Stories to design a series of benches to improve the existing condition, where people do not have enough spaces to sit and gather on the street. People could only share the tight space of planter edges.

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