On October 1st, I was walking to our 433A seminar class, while the HKSA (Hong Kong student association) stopped me and asked if I would wear their yellow ribbon to help and show support for the protests and democracy movements in Hong Kong. At first, I had only heard of this movement through media and the newspaper, but after seeing and talking with the HKSA it was real and that information was more alive and I could tell that each one of them had so much dedication to what they were doing. I had asked them why there were poster boards and markers and they replied that if a message were to be written, they would take it back to Hong Kong and be sent to the protesters on the streets! At that moment I was astonished and thought that, I should be also campaigning about Tibet and its troubles within China. This was an excellent way to excel their club, show and spread awareness, and dedication to their people in HK showing, they are not alone and that this movement has been seen worldwide. A few days later, someone had mentioned that there will be an event for the HK movement in front of SUB and that it would be good that not only HK students show up, but other ethnicities, and organized clubs to join. Once I arrived, there were many students dressed in yellow, ribbons all over and yellow umbrellas to make a statement that they are not giving up, and whatever weapons the police use like the tear gas and pepper spray, the umbrella will defend, guard and prevail truth. It was one of the most amazingly well organized event that I have ever been to, nothing like it and I felt special being able to participate in a country that allows the practices of language, orientation and freedom. I believe that this generation is for the better and that we can strive to make changes to benefit for all.

I would like to relate this event with the reading: Beyond the self: How structures limits agency. (HK movement – yellow umbrella).  In this reading there are points that have relationships, and procedures that abide with people, production, and human relations. The questions I would like to discuss are dealing with the HK movement (people) and how will the supporters protest back, (production) how their lives produce persistence? and how human relation will connect this HK movement for the better, and if universal suffrage was allowed in HK what issues would arise in the future?

Ever since the pro-democracy protesters started occupying the busiest districts in HK, the Chinese government has been trying to limit the spread of this news in mainland China by suppressing everything that is related to the occupy central movement. For example all the posts about the movement have been censored on Weibo, the most popular social media in China. Instagram was also blocked in large parts of China due to the protest. How did this occupy central movement, led by a 17 year old student, have caused such panic to the Communist party’s authoritarian control over the rest of China? Being the third most important international financial center, after London and New York City, what influences to the rest of China, or even on a global scale, does it have?