Xyza Cruz Bacani
Xyza Cruz Bacani came to Hong Kong as a domestic helper nine years ago—but it wasn’t until she started shooting photos on the city’s streets that she discovered her true passion. The Magnum Foundation fellowship winner and Hamdan International Photography Award finalist tells Adele Wong about the hardships of working in Hong Kong and how she hopes to use her photography to give a voice to the most marginalized in society.
I came from Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines, when I was 19. That was nine years ago.
I’m eldest of three kids. My father is in the Philippines. My mom’s still here, working for the same boss as me for 20 years.
Hong Kong is a sensory overload. I love the lights, the people always moving around. It’s very fast. The vibe is awesome.
I’m officially jobless. I’m applying for a visa [to attend a course with the Magnum Foundation at NYU]. I need to work harder.
I need my days to be filled with stuff to do. I’m doing a project on domestic helper abuse [“900 Square Feet of Hidden Hope”]. I want to plant a seed of awareness. It feels like it’s very normal for Hong Kong people to abuse their helpers.
I want to tell people that it’s not OK. I want to make it global. I want to go to places with domestic helpers and immigrants and shoot their photos and tell their stories.