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The path less travelled
Sophia Ling, German Swiss International School
As a Hong Kong student, I’d like to say that my life is a spreadsheet. My day is divided into colour-coded blocks for studying, extra-curriculars and tutoring. My future is a target score for the International Baccalaureate, admission to a prestigious university and a clear, straight line towards a “successful” career.
We are taught that there is a formula for success. Get perfect grades. Build the perfect résumé. Make the perfect impression. Any deviation from this path feels like failure.
So, when I had the opportunity to attend the Asia Society Game Changer Award, honouring Jimmy O. Yang as its first awardee, I expected an evening of well-deserved celebration. What I didn’t expect was a direct challenge to every assumption my carefully constructed life was built upon.
Seeing Jimmy O. Yang receive that award was like watching a living paradox to the dream I’ve been sold. Here was a successful Hong Kong-American stand-up comedian who left a stable, respectable career in finance to pursue a comedy career in Hollywood.
What struck me most wasn’t just his success but the honesty with which he spoke about the journey. He shared that he was afraid to tell his immigrant parents of his new plans and their initial disapproval, saying it would “lead to homelessness”.
He described the years that followed: the struggle as an Asian American in Hollywood, the nearly empty rooms, the jokes that bombed. He didn’t gloss over the imperfections; he built his career on them.
The most surreal moment of the entire evening, however, wasn’t the award presentation itself or the account of Jimmy’s career. It was a casual, almost throwaway remark he made during his talk. He mentioned, with a grin, that many of his former classmates from Wah Yan College are now successful professionals working in finance, law and other “stable” fields.
Hearing Jimmy acknowledge this so openly, and to see him standing on that stage as a “Game Changer” precisely because he chose a different path, was incredibly liberating.
His classmates took the well-lit road. He took the unmarked trail through the woods. And he ended up in a place just as significant, if not more so, and on his own terms.
I’m not saying I will quit my studies and pursue stand-up comedy. That’s his story, not mine. But he has given me permission to ask myself what my story might be. Maybe it’s a career in the arts, or social work, or starting a quirky business. The point is, I no longer feel the need to fit into a predetermined box.
I hope every student in Hong Kong who feels like they are staring at a future that seems pre-written can find their own Jimmy O. Yang.
He reminds us that our value doesn’t lie in how perfectly we follow a predefined map, but rather, in the courage to draw our own. His success, and the reason why he is truly game-changing, is a gift to every one of us who needed to hear that it’s OK to take the path less travelled, even when your friends and family are on the other one.
Uplifting women
Ava Mak and Kaitlyn Wong, Chinese International School
We started our non-profit, the Uplift Project, in June 2025, with a mission to improve the mental health of low-income women in Hong Kong, a demographic often overlooked in discussions about mental well-being.
The inspiration for the Uplift Project began with a domestic helper who spoke to us about her struggles with mental health. She described enduring gruelling hours and unjust pay, sacrificing even necessities like hygiene products and meals to support her family in the Philippines.
Her resilience was the result of extraordinary love and a silent choice between personal dignity and family survival, a tragically common decision that countless women in our city have made. This experience became the catalyst for our vision to create the Uplift Project.
After doing some research, we found that low-income women in Hong Kong often lack mental health support and resources, and their needs are often overlooked.
The Uplift Project currently has chapters in Hong Kong, the US, Australia and the United Kingdom and has distributed over 150 hygiene kits to low-income women in partnership with the NGO Christian Action.
Each kit contains essentials such as menstrual products, toothpaste, Vaseline, tissue boxes, soap bars and more. Furthermore, we have distributed more than 200 wellness bookmarks outlining resources such as the mental health hotline from “Shall we Talk” to highlight the support available to low-income women.
These bookmarks include a QR code for peer support groups in Hong Kong.
Our organisation has raised HK$12,000 through various fundraisers and achieved 15K digital impressions from our awareness posts about low-income women. These efforts are crucial in improving both the mental and physical well-being of the women we serve, ultimately boosting their confidence and offering encouragement.
Additionally, the Uplift Project has been awarded the “Young Changemakers Award” from the American Club Foundation and a HK$10,000 grant to further support our mission. We will host four mental health workshops from February to May, covering topics such as self-care practices, uplifting your peers and body image.
In conclusion, the Uplift Project strives to create a world where every woman, regardless of her circumstances, can access the mental health support she deserves, empowering her to uplift herself and those around her.
