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EOSA (2022-23) ,Senior EOSA (2023-26) 

Coming to university, I knew I wanted to do something about my interest in social issues, especially when it comes to dangers and stigmatization that many marginalized groups face in society. But I felt lost. I didn’t know where to begin and lacked the necessary platform and resources to do so. That’s when I received an email about applying for the EOSA program. 

Now, as an EOSA, I am proud to have hosted events centered around raising awareness about the portrayal of mental health in Hollywood films and advocating for mental health initiatives. Being able to talk about something I’m passionate about further ignited my interests and boosted my confidence in advocacy. The past me probably wouldn’t even think of talking in front of an entire class of audience. 

These experiences have not only allowed me to educate people but have also deepened my understanding of these critical issues as I engage with them. Advocacy within EOSA has even motivated me to shape my career pursuit around it. 

With the personal and professional growth I’ve experienced, I hope to continue raising awareness about the differing worlds of many marginalized groups that often go unnoticed, creating an empathetic and inclusive campus environment at HKU, both as a fellow student and as an EOSA. 

EOSA (2021-2025)

Equal Opportunity as an Impactful Journey

My journey to becoming an EOSA was deeply personal. During my PhD, the isolation of the pandemic severely impacted my mental health. Joining EOSA provided a crucial platform where I could openly share my struggles and, importantly, discovered I was not alone. This drew me to the programme: the chance to transform personal difficulty into communal support and to address the silent struggle many students face but hesitate to seek help for.

Mental wellness is the EO issue that resonates most powerfully with me. It is a fundamental, yet often stigmatised, aspect of our ability to thrive equally. My conviction led me to mobilise a team of 60+ diverse students to organise our campus's first major World Mental Health Day event in 2022. From a human library to mindful arts, we created safe spaces for hundreds to engage and connect. The most poignant takeaway was hearing students share their grief over not being able to farewell loved ones during COVID-19, which inspired my community-engaged arts exhibition, "RESILIENCE: Farewell" under CEDARS F.A.C.E.S. subsidy.

Moving forward, my vision is to institutionalise peer support. I initiated the global Phoenix Fellowship (under Hsin Chong - K.N. Godfrey Yeh Education Fund for Joint Student Projects) and local Youth Wellness Ambassador training under (Yang Tuck Ming & Wong Fung Ying Service-Learning Fund) in 2025, fostering a self-sustaining culture of resilience. My goal is for HKU to be a model where inclusive well-being is not an initiative, but the very foundation of our community, ensuring every student feels empowered, heard, and supported to succeed.

The recognition, including the EOC Youth Ambassador, HKU CEDARS Distinguished Service to the Community Award, Gold Service Award, and Achievement Award for Co-curricular Award, is humbling but the true reward is seeing increased dialogue around wellness. I am very blessed to continue my academic journey to promote well-being while receiving other academic recognition, HKU Research Postgraduate Conference Best Speaker Award, the Harvard University HPAIRx Best Speaker Award, HKU JCECC International Conference Best Paper Award, and acceptance at AERA conference (the world's largest education conference).  The EOSA experiences have fundamentally changed me, integrating my academic research on student well-being with actionable compassion.

EOSA (2024-25), Senior EOSA (2025-26)

I joined the EOSA programme because I know what it feels like to arrive in a new place carrying hopes, questions, and a quiet need to belong. As an international PhD student from Pakistan, I have learned that inclusion is often found in the smallest moments -a welcoming conversation, a respectful space, or simply being listened to. EOSA reflects these values, and being part of it allows me to offer that same sense of warmth and understanding to others.

The issue that resonates most deeply with me is cultural diversity. When differences are met with kindness rather than judgment, they become a source of learning and connection. Universities are at their best when people feel safe to be themselves, without fear of being misunderstood or overlooked.

One experience that really stayed with me was the EOSA Orientation DAY Training. Honestly, it was the first time in my life that I learned how many policies and laws exist to protect people from harassment and discrimination. Some of the discussions, especially about how pregnant or married women can be treated unfairly, really made me stop and think. These events helped me realise how important awareness is in preventing harm before it happens. Among the initiatives, A Slice of Pizza, A Dash of Diversity left a strong impression on me, as it created a relaxed and welcoming space for open conversations about stereotypes, respect, and inclusion. These experiences changed how I view equal opportunity; not just as rules on paper, but as values that guide how we treat one another every day.

Through my involvement in EOSA activities, I have become more aware of how empathy and intention can shape inclusive environments. These experiences have encouraged me to speak more thoughtfully, listen more carefully, and support others more consciously. Moving forward, I hope to continue contributing by fostering dialogue, compassion, and mutual respect within the HKU community.

Joined EOSA Programme (2023-24)
Senior EOSA (2024-26)

I’m Gigi Lai In Chi, a Senior EOSA with two years of experience, drawn to the programme’s student-led, interactive approach that empowers ambassadors to design events—far from traditional passive participation. This role has let me turn my passion for inclusivity into action, building skills in event coordination, project management, and promotional design while deepening my understanding of Equal Opportunity (EO) principles, particularly gender equality, which I explore further through a Gender Studies minor. I’ve realized gender inequality persists globally, intersecting with other EO issues, and unconscious biases limit potential, making equity work vital.

EOSA’s mandatory late-September orientation training lays the groundwork, covering HKU’s EO policies and DEI fundamentals to ensure our initiatives are rooted in informed values. My key projects include the 2024–2025 “DEI Workshop: Learning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion & Crafting Japanese Omamori,” co-organized with Purich Cho. Held in MB256, it blended a DEI Kahoot quiz, inclusive group discussions, and Omamori-making—symbolizing mutual support—with snacks and prizes for accessibility. For 2025–2026, I partnered with Cinderella Yeung on “Breaking the Cycle – Ending Period Shame,” a two-day Centennial Campus event focused on period equity. It featured myth-debunking stations, 16 DIY menstrual bracelet workshops, story-sharing cards, and interactive QR codes to foster open dialogue and erase period shame.

These experiences have strengthened my collaborative leadership and ability to design inclusive, needs-driven projects. My plan is to empower fellow EOSAs by sharing event-planning skills—via skill-sharing sessions, a refined checklist, and buddy support—helping them turn EO ideas into action. My vision for HKU is a campus where inclusivity is lived, not just spoken: a space where every student feels safe, seen, and valued, free from bias, with EO embedded in all interactions through collective effort.

EOSA (2023-24), Senior EOSA (2024-26)  

I joined the EOSA programme in my first year, drawn by my multicultural background and a deep commitment to social justice. Having witnessed discrimination tied to gender, race, and mental health, I wanted to contribute to a more equitable campus.

My journey began with supporting events including University Hunt, SEN Connect Booths, EOSA Mind Space, and HKU Open Day, which deepened my understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Later, as a Senior EOSA, I co-organised the “DEI Workshop: Learning DEI & Crafting Japanese Omamori” with a fellow ambassador. The session blended Kahoot quizzes, group discussions, and hands-on omamori-making to explore real-life DEI challenges. Through conversations on topics such as responding to workplace harassment and navigating unconscious bias, we explored the importance of context-aware, strategic advocacy, revealing that meaningful change requires both empathy and pragmatism.

I believe that serving as a Senior EOSA, together with my experiences as an EOSA during my first year, has shaped me into a more rational, thoughtful, and peace-oriented person. This role has not only deepened my awareness of diversity, equity, and inclusion, but also strengthened my commitment to advancing them in practical and responsible ways.