The Racism Fighter

Photograph for TIME by Wei Leng Tay

Antiracism activist Fermi Wong

Fermi Wong had her moment of revelation one day in 1998. The social worker was roving the streets of a working-class neighborhood in Hong Kong's Kowloon district, looking out for truant youth, when she came across a gaggle of Pakistani kids playing soccer. They ran and tackled each other along the edge of a pavement, in view of an unoccupied public field equipped with proper goals. Bemused, Wong asked them why they weren't using the actual soccer pitch, which was open to all. "People told us we're not allowed there," came the response. "It's for Chinese...

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