Work Is Work: A zine by Hong Kong’s migrant workers

THIS ARTICLE IS AN EXCERPT from FULL TEXT AVAILABLE IN Lickzine#2

The so-called domestic workers of Hong Kong are a noteworthy presence, yet they are also easily discounted, certainly in terms of wages, if not in terms of the projected cultural profile of the city.

Towards a cultural expression that is not entirely driven by the bottom line, various organizations and individuals came together to produce a “zine” dedicated to the voices of these workers (who are also designated, officiously, as O.F.W. = oversea foreign workers), a “zine” that provides an outlet for the writings and artworks of over 70 individuals. Partially funded or supported by HERFund and The Mission for Migrant Workers of St. John’s Cathedral, the project was also smart enough to pull in local creative talents, such as Beatrix Pang of Small Tune Press, Like Like Zine, and the feminist bookstore Consider The Trouble.

As far as that goes, I don’t want to see this “zine” solely relegated to the private possessions of these authors and artists. It might be distributed at the weekly day-off festivals, but it would seem to function best as a hand-out at your nearest mall or bus stop, where over-seas foreign workers are right now helping with the shopping or taking your child to an after school activity. I would like to see “Work Is Work” in every Hong Kong governmental office, sporting facility, or apartment complex clubhouse. That should be the target audience for this “zine”, and the information it contains should be made to align with all the other political issues paramount to the future and well-being of Hong Kong.