Mabel Au
The director of Amnesty International Hong Kong, Mabel Au was raised in a family of modest means and experienced the power of community solidarity at an early age. She speaks to Suhail Stephen about her journey towards social activism, the work of AIHK, and local perspectives on human rights.
I was born in Hong Kong and grew up here in a very ordinary family with three
older brothers.
My parents tried to give us whatever we needed, but I know what life in a grassroots family is like. We experienced hardship and poverty, but I also witnessed other families who were in worse situations.
When I was in primary school, my father got sick and [because he] was the only one providing for the family, it was very difficult. We had to borrow money from relatives. The social security system in Hong Kong was very minimal.
Back then, the whole of society had a spirit of mutual help-giving. Helping each other is very important. To use a more sophisticated word, solidarity is very important.
You only live once. If I only have this life, how I can make it meaningful? Every time
I make a decision, [this thought] comes to mind.
Since the mid-90s, I have been involved in the activist circle. At that time, I had some activist friends who were arrested and we had to campaign to release them. Amnesty International was also campaigning for their release.