Joey

Joey demonstrated a significant contribution to the democratic movement of Hong Kong. She also showed a high level of maturity and intellect and we believe she will continue to grow and develop into a successful professional in the United States.

Mic

Mic demonstrated a high level of compassion for nursing, especially in the area of elderly nursing home care, which will fill a big demand in the US for nursing professionals. His goals are to be the change to improve the elderly nursing experience and to be a mentor who can help more Hong Kong students get to know the field of nursing.

Ivanka (Undergraduate category) :

Ivanka is a research and advocacy fellow at the Athenai Institute, advocating for divestment from the Chinese Community Party to U.S. institutions and the removal of the CCP’s influence on academic freedom. As a founding member of the Society of Asian Liberty at Stony Brooke University and a member of Students For Hong Kong, Ivanka is actively engaged in campus advocacy for Hong Kong. She also volunteers in Hong Kong community events such as documentary screenings in New York.

Ivanka has demonstrated significant financial need and dedication to contribute to the Hong Kong community and the future of Hong Kong.

Sanho (Graduate category):

Sanho is currently a Ph.D. candidate in political science at the University of Arizona, USA. He is also the co-founder and a contributing writer of Flow HK, the first diasporic Hong Kongers magazine.

After graduating with his Bachelor of Social Sciences degree from Hong Kong Baptist University in 2015 and obtaining his Master of International Relations degree at Australian National University in 2016, Sanho worked as a research assistant for multiple scholars and researchers on politics and identity in Hong Kong. In 2019, he left for the USA to pursue his doctoral degree in political science. Chung is currently working on research projects concerning democracy and autocracy in East Asia, as well as the politics of Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Sanho has demonstrated his financial need, as well as his passion, capability, and vision to continue to raise attention to Hong Kong in an intellectual way. He is also involved in Hongkonger community work as the President of the Hong Kong Student Association at his current school.

Sanho’s latest publications include journal articles “‘Because Hongkongers Should Support Hong Kong’: Entanglement of National Identity, Political Ideology and Football Fandom in Hong Kong”(Forthcoming) in the Journal of Sport and Social Issues, “Explaining Localism in Post-handover Hong Kong: An Eventful Approach” (Yuen, Samson, & Chung, Sanho, 2018) on China Perspectives and an op-ed article titled “The Pro-Democrats’ Landslide Victory in Hong Kong Is Just the Beginning” (2019) on The Diplomat.

Esther Lau (Undergraduate):

Currently in her first year at Barnard College of Columbia University, Esther is pursuing studies in Political Science and Urban Studies with concentrations in American Politics and Economics. Through the intersection of these two fields, she aspires to focus on how policy can drive positive change for low-income communities of color. Moreover, the depth and breadth of the curriculum at Barnard allows her to concentrate on areas of geography like Hong Kong, which she considers a collective microcosm of urban space and government and also her home.

Beyond the classroom, Esther is a dedicated advocate for issues related to poverty and basic needs. As the Executive Director of What We All Deserve, a youth-led economic justice advocacy group, she introduced and co-sponsored CA's SB 260, the Menstrual Equity Act of 2023. This proposed legislation aims to add $20 in monthly cash aid for menstruating CalWORKs recipients. Through her efforts, she garnered robust legislative and organizational support from the CA Legislative Women's Caucus and CA Senate Democrats, as well as organizations such as ACLU, NARAL, and NAACP. Notably, Esther's work in legislative advocacy has been featured in news publications including NPR, KQED, and CalMatters.

Looking ahead, Esther is excited to continue her journey of growth as both a student and an advocate with the support of the HKPN Scholarship. Regardless of how much time she spends overseas, Hong Kong will always be home to her. She eagerly anticipates harnessing the skills she's acquired to further her impact both in the United States and at home.

「你好！ 我叫Esther Lau, 我很感激能獲得2023 HKPN獎學金。 我在香港出生和度過了我一生中最豐富成長的幾年，我很榮幸能為香港社群做出貢獻的潛力。

目前，我在哥倫比亞大學巴納德學院讀一年級，在這𥚃我學習政治學和城市研究。在課堂外，我是圍繞貧困和基本需求問題的忠實倡導者。 我倡議並共同協助了CA（加州）的SB 260法案，該法案將為有月經的CalWORKs接受者增加每月20美元的現金援助。 因我在倡議立法方面的表現，曾被新聞報導在NPR和KQED等媒體上。

展望未來，我很高興能在HKPN獎學金的幫助下繼續我作為學生和倡導者的成長之旅。 無論我在海外呆了多久，香港都將永遠是我的家，我期待地想利用我學到的知識來進一步發揮我對美國和我的家的影響。」

Amelia Chan (Undergraduate):

Amelia Chan, a second-year animation student at Sheridan College, embarked on her international student journey at the age of 12 in 2016. Having studied in Canada ever since, she maintains a profound love for Hong Kong's culture, cherishing the city's heartwarming welcome upon her return.

Throughout her upbringing, Amelia drew inspiration from animated films by directors, nurturing a dream to become an animator capable of bringing her vivid imagination to life. Her passion extends to creating films and art that resonate with people, aiming to connect Hongkongers and enhance the presence of the Hong Kong community. She is also interested in utilizing technology and games to assist those in need.

During her two years at Sheridan Animations, Amelia discovered her love for visual development and layout backgrounds. Immersing herself in research about diverse cultures, she integrates these influences into her artwork, hoping to capture the unique beauty in everything.

Behind the scenes in the world of films and animations, Amelia actively contributes to the animation community. She enjoys connecting with peers, offering assistance, and leveraging her expertise to aid others interested in animation. As an executive at the Women in Animation Club at Sheridan, she works towards fostering visibility and support for female animators, creating an environment where mutual learning and assistance flourish.

「大家好！我名字叫Amelia。我在加拿大安省就讀Sheridan 學院的動畫專業二年級學生。我從 12 歲（2016年）便開始了我的國際學生之旅，由小學到現在一直努力學習中。儘管我在這裡待了一段時間，我仍然熱愛香港文化，我明白這個溫暖的城市隨時歡迎我學成歸來。由於在我成長的過程中很喜歡想像和構思，並且一直對傑出導演創作的動畫電影著迷。我夢想會成為一名動畫師，讓我的想像力成為現實。我熱衷於製作可以聯繫人們和產生共鳴的電影和藝術作品。

在Sheridan 學院的動畫專業課程的這兩年裡，我意識到了我對環境設計和動畫初稿的熱愛。我研究和了解不同的文化，並將它們融入我的藝術作品中。我喜歡在電影和動畫的幕後工作，透過創作藝術，我可以捕捉一切的美。

我會在動畫層面與動畫愛好者建立聯繫並透過輔導和意見，吸取來幫助來提升技術運用，也會幫助對Sheridan 學院動畫感興趣的人進入學院。我也是Sheridan 學院女性動畫學會的高階主管，幫助女性動畫師得到被關注和傾聽意見，彼此互相幫助和學習，建立關係。

任何能幫助我實現夢想的支持也不勝感激。感謝HKPN，我得到了這個機會，使我的目標又更近了一步。」

Loft (Graduate):

Loft is studying for a Master of Journalism in Canada. He had studied journalism and cultural studies in Hong Kong and worked as a freelance journalist. His research interests cover Hong Kong's diaspora media, popular culture, and identity. His works can be found in Hong Kong’s online media, and co-authored a few books.

Loft 目前正在加拿大修讀傳理系碩士，此前在香港修讀新聞及文化研究，並為自由身記者，現時研究香港離散媒體、流行文化及身分認同。其作品散見於香港網上媒體，及合著數本書籍。