Yat Ka
Hello, my name is Yat Ka, and I am 14 years old. I came from Hong Kong, but I now live in the United States. I like to observe the world from my own unique perspective. I embrace challenges and admire diversity. Change brings novelty to life, as I refuse to walk a path chosen for me by others. I grew up surrounded by love that gives me the courage to pursue my dreams and forge my own path, even one that has never been walked before…
I was born in Hong Kong and studied in Switzerland when I was small; now, I attend school in the United States. My international upbringing means I was exposed to more diverse people and experiences than most of my peers. But whether traveling or studying, my own experiences are still limited. As I grew up, I learned about the complexity of the world through books. I also had opportunities to meet more people of different cultures and backgrounds. Through volunteering, I came to personally know the hardships faced by those with financial hardships or special needs. I also saw close-up of the terrible consequences of war.
At an age when most children are still carefree and innocent, he is surrounded by the shadow of poverty and the threat of war. For all these children, how many will grow to adulthood? What kind of lives will they face? How will they view this world that they live in?
WAR
I have been taking the Israeli-Palestinian War as my history elective. Through history books, I caught a glimpse of the conflict on the other side of the world. No matter the reason, the existence of war means the destruction of lives. Whatever side they may be on in the eyes of the powers that be, these human lives are no different from you and me. No matter where we live, the desire to survive and the joy in a new life is common to us all.
I have volunteered in the past both in donating art to the hospital and donating health supplies to youth in Ukraine. This experience has given me a deeper understanding of different groups of people. This world isn’t as peaceful as I have experienced all my life. Many people are living in the midst of war, or struggling against disease. Many are displaced from their homelands, while others yet suffer in hardship. Gradually, I began to feel that life should have more purpose than my daily routine. As young as I am, I can still take on a certain degree of social responsibility. I can’t do much, but I can help them be seen with my art. There is beauty in hardship and courage in the struggle to survive.
Monochrome figures, rainbow rose
In this multicolored world, there are always minorities who walk in black and white, wandering the lonely outskirts of mainstream society. They must hide themselves, among the bright colors and landmarks of the city, outcasts amid the bustling crowds. Perhaps they are beside you, hoping for a kind word or smile, but you turn away your gaze. Perhaps they stand before you, or you’ve passed them a million times, unseeing.
Visual art is the most direct type of artistic expression. I want to use my pen, to use the directness of realism, to make people see hunger, fatigue, displacement, pain, misunderstanding, prejudice, exile… No matter how we arrived here, I hope to gift them with every painting a rainbow-colored rose. I hope to gift them a ray of light, a little color of compassion to accompany them. I want them to be seen and heard. Perhaps I can’t change very much, but I want you at least to see them, to be aware of their existence. Roses are small and ephemeral, but they leave a lasting fragrance. I believe that one day, in the eyes of mainstream society, they won’t just be considered as “others”. When that day comes, there will be more compassion in the world for all of us, because every life deserves to be respected and valued.
L G B T
More and more people, especially youth, are willing to talk openly about gender and sexual orientation. LGBT is an acronym, rainbow flag is a symbol, they all represent the diversity and hope for a more accepting world. I too use a rainbow rose as a wish for equality. Minorities are but those who differ from traditionally accepted norms. If every difference must be labelled and reviled, how can anyone be certain they will not become the next victim?
L
G B T
L G B T
Those who were once alone in their struggles have finally found each other and gained strength from outside themselves. And so, they’v e walked out from the black and white shadows into the multicolored world, into the sunlight, gaining the confidence to become a part of its brilliance.
Flying colors and bright banners make up a multitude of flowing streams, gathering into a torrent flowing into the ocean of the world.
No longer outcasts walking on the edges, the labels and prejudices fall away.
We were once outsiders, but because of understanding and acceptance, we are no longer shunned. Rainbow flags fly proudly in the sky as we have a right to live openly, in every corner of the world.
RainBow flags
The world is fraught with misfortune, and most people address others with empathy; empathy is the act of understanding someone’s suffering, but what we need more of in this world is compassion. Compassion requires you to ask the question “how can I help?” One of the ways I express compassion is through art. I’ve found that sometimes words can’t accurately convey a feeling or thought, but art can because it’s universal. Compassion is contagious, so reaching more people with your message means more change in the world. Mother Teresa once said, “if you can’t feed 100 people, feed just one.” If each person who sees the message does one small action, imagine the difference we could make for those who are suffering.
