This event will premiere on ESFL’s Facebook page and YouTube channel on July 1st, 2020 at 7pm

Most Americans are unaware or uninformed about the persistent public dissent of Hong Kong protesters over the past year. Much is at stake, for the residents of Hong Kong, their neighbors in Taiwan and China, and, ultimately, for the rest of the world, including us. These protesters, many of them students, have not just engaged issues of differing political and economic systems, but also the preservation of human rights and the rule of law. Paying attention to the motivation and purpose of the Hong Kong protests helps us recognize similar threats to democracy in our country and in other countries around the world. From pervasive camera surveillance to police attacks and arrests, from laws which protect the wealthy and powerful and the manipulation of elections to the shaping of school curricula to reflect dominant narratives, the challenges faced by Hong Kong citizens sound disturbingly familiar.

The world is in turmoil today. Over the past year, the East Side Freedom Library has made information available about situations in Ethiopia, India, the Philippines, Mexico, Burma, Syria, and Iran. We have sought out people with direct experience in these countries, asking them to share their stories with us. For the upcoming session, students from Hong Kong (Stanley, Natalie and Hugh) will tell us about what has been happening to them and their families in their homeland. Macalester College Professor of Music Chuen-Fung Wong, who is from Hong Kong, will provide important background information and talk about the way it affects us. Expect to hear about the police brutality, inequality between police and protesters, and personal experience of participating in the protest. As always, there will be time for questions and conversation.

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