Jeffrey Andrews (social worker)
Alterin Jeffrey Andrews | |
|---|---|
.png) Andrews in 2020 | |
| Born | 1986 (age 37–38) |
| Nationality |  Hong Kong |
| Alma mater | Caritas Institute of Higher Education |
| Occupation | Social worker |
| Employer | Christian Action |
| Awards | Secretary for Home Affairs' Commendation Cathay Pacific’s Change Makers JCI Top Outstanding Young Persons |
| Jeffrey Andrews | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 安德里 | ||||||||
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Jeffrey Andrews is a Hong Kong social worker, activist, and former Legislative Council candidate in the pan-democratic camp. Andrews was also the first ethnic minority Hongkonger to qualify locally as a social worker.[1] Andrews is the Senior Social Worker for Hong Kong-based NGO Christian Action's Centre for Refugees.[2][3] Andrews is of Tamil Indian descent.[4][5]
Early life and education
[edit]Andrews was born and raised in British Hong Kong. He attended a designated school, which were established to serve Hong Kong's ethnic minorities, but were later deemed to be discriminatory and dissolved.[6] Students at these schools were often targeted by triad gangs and Andrews was recruited in Form 5.[6] At 19, Andrews was arrested for stealing mobile phones. He cites this as the turning point in his life when social worker Fermi Wong, founder of Hong Kong Unison, assisted him following his arrest and sparked his interest in social work.[5]
In 2011, Andrews enrolled in the Social Work programme at the Caritas Institute of Higher Education, now Saint Francis University, and was the first ethnic minority Hongkonger to qualify locally as a social worker in 2014.[6][5]
Advocacy
[edit]Andrews has campaigned for the rights of ethnic minorities in Hong Kong.[4] During the 2014 Occupy Central movement, Andrews, together with a number of other ethnic minority Hongkongers, marched between several of the occupied sites to raise awareness for the inclusion of ethnic minorities in Hong Kong.[7]
He previously ran courses in cultural sensitivity for the Hong Kong Police Force.[8] Andrews also runs tours of Chungking Mansions, a multi-purpose building which is a centre for many minorities in Hong Kong, but which is considered crime-ridden and dangerous by many in Hong Kong.[5][9]
2019 Protests
[edit]During the 2019 social unrest, Andrews, together with other ethnic minority Hongkongers, set up outside Chungking Mansions to distribute bottled water to passing protesters.[10]
LegCo Run
[edit]In 2020, Andrews ran in the 2020 Hong Kong pro-democracy primaries. He was the first ethnic minority Hongkonger ever to run in a LegCo election. Howveer, the primaries were later deemed to be 'illegal' by the government. Andrews was among 55 democracy candidates arrested on 6 January 2021, but was one of only 8 to be released on bail.[11][12][13] Andrews was later charged with subversion under the National Security Law.[6]
Awards & Recognition
[edit]Andrews received the Secretary for Home Affairs’ Commendation in the 2015-2016 list for 'Distinguished Service for Community Building'.[14]
In 2019, Andrews was named on the list of 'Cathay Changemakers' for his 'positive contribution to the community and environment'.[15]
In 2024, Andrews was named one of 'Asia's Most Influential' people by Tatler Asia magazine.[16]
References
[edit]- ^ "Jeffrey Andrews". Oxford Hong Kong Forum. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ^ "Our Team". Centre for Refugees. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ^ "TEDxCityUHongKong2024". TEDx. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Hong Kong national security law: Activists say arrests confirm worst fears". BBC. 7 January 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ^ a b c d "As China pushes in, Hong Kong's first ethnic minority social worker wants a future for everyone". Los Angeles Times. 23 August 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Hong Kong is Our Home too". Varsity. 9 November 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ^ Ng, Ellie (23 March 2017). "Quest for diversity: Ethnic minority Hongkongers seek inclusion in gov't advisory bodies". Hong Kong Free Press. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ^ Ng, Ellie (8 October 2017). "Asia's world city? Hong Kong ethnic minorities feel targeted by police stop and search actions". Hong Kong Free Press. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ^ Andrews, Jeffrey (12 January 2022). "Fate Disrupted". TED. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ^ Mathews, Gordon. "South Asians and Africans are no longer Hong Kong's 'ethnic other' - now it's the mainland Chinese | Hong Kong Free Press HKFP". Hong Kong Free Press. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ^ "Jeffrey Andrews". Hong Kong Watch. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ^ "53 Hong Kong democrats, activists arrested under security law over 2020 legislative primaries". Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. Hong Kong Free Press. 6 January 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ^ Chau, Candice (28 February 2021). "47 democrats charged with 'conspiracy to commit subversion' over legislative primaries". Hong Kong Free Press. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ^ Home and Youth Affairs Bureau. Government of the HKSAR https://www.hyab.gov.hk/file_manager/en/documents/whats_new/from_the_desk_of_secretary_for_home_affairs/list_of_awardees_of_former_secretary.pdf. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Swire News" (PDF). Swire Group. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 March 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ "Jeffrey Andrews". Tatler Asia. Retrieved 17 December 2024.