Hi everyone! My name is Quinn, and I am excited to be part of the Encompass HK team. I am a final year student at the University of Hong Kong, double-majoring in Psychology and Counselling.
Here are some things about myself: I am passionate about animals, LGBTQ+ rights, and mental health. I was born and raised in Hong Kong, and I love this vibrant city. I have loved nature and animals since I could remember, and my favourite thing to do as a kid was to read encyclopaedia and watch documentaries about animals. I studied at a local Catholic secondary school which was quite conservative and heteronormative, so I struggled a lot with my sexuality during that period. This is also why creating a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community is important to me – I want to make sure that everyone can thrive in a space where they will not have to worry about discrimination.
At university, I joined a community called Queer Straight Alliance and stayed in this student organisation as an executive committee member for two years. This has allowed me to meet more like-minded people, to organise social and career events, and to create media coverage for the LGBTQ+ community. As I enjoyed advocating for diversity and inclusion, I also began to embrace my identity in this environment and hope to do the same for others.
I was fascinated by Benita’s sharing on sustainable development and the work Encompass HK does to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and wildlife in Hong Kong. Therefore, I reached out to Benita to be an intern and joined Encompass HK in March 2023. I am glad to be part of the Encompass HK team, as this internship was eye-opening and rewarding. During my internship, I have assisted in on-site diversity and inclusion related workshops, talks, and client acquisition meetings at businesses such as Ogier, Generali, and Swire. It was inspiring to visit the offices of these corporations and to see the work they are willing to put in for a more inclusive workplace. I have also contributed in areas such as creating promotional media, workshop materials, and presentation slides advocating for the LGBTQ+ community. I truly feel that the work I do for Encompass HK is meaningful and directly advances its goal to empower companies in achieving sustainable development.
Overall, my experience at Encompass HK is just everything I have anticipated. I pursued my passion for diversity, inclusion, and LGBTQ+ rights in a directly impactful way. I strongly recommend working with Encompass HK if you are keen in the DEI and sustainable development.
