Bad Times Disco announce fundraiser with screening of ‘Migrant Women Rise’

Vinyl purveyors and good deed doers Bad Times Disco mark International Migrants Day with a fundraiser event in Hong Kong, held at Terrible Baby in Kowloon’s Eaton Hotel, this Friday, 16 December.

The event aims to raise funds for the Hong Kong chapter of Gabriela, a progressive grassroots-based international alliance of more than 200 women’s groups; a large part of the Hong Kong chapter’s focus has been Filipino women, primarily from marginalised sectors of society.

Keeping things fun and informative, the event includes a documentary film screening of ‘Migrant Women Rise’ by Carl Catedral, a discussion session with the filmmaker and migrant leaders, and an after party featuring BTD resident DJs.

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‘Migrant Women Rise’ is produced by the Hong Kong Campaign For Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines, and it was filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic (which is technically still ongoing in Hong Kong); the film highlights the struggles of the daily lives of two Filipino domestic workers who have asserted themselves against the despotic and regressive policies of the Philippine government, namely with silencing dissent. The film exposes the risks people take with their own lives against being red-tagged under Duterte’s oppressive regime; ‘Migrant Women Rise’ is a collective depiction of the resilient efforts of migrant worker leaders and the political and social impact they have.

Being filmed in Hong Kong, the documentary also dives into the income, gender and racial challenges domestic migrant workers face in the city. According to Bad Times Disco’s press statement, “Restrictive immigration and labour policies threaten workers’ dignity and basic rights in all spheres of life, from housing to rest and leisure. Despite these challenges, migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong have a rich history of self-led activism encompassing both labour rights and transnational human rights advocacy.”

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Bad Times Disco have previously organised three mutual aid fundraising events and campaigns including, raising over HK$35,000 (~US$4,4980) for impacted communities during the second wave of COVID0-19 in India, HK$77,000 (~US$9,895) raised in solidarity with ATIS, a Hong Kong-Philippines migrant domestic worker-led advocacy network, Mission for Migrant Workers (Hong Kong), and Kids for Kids (Philippines) who coordinated relief work after Typhoon Odette.

Watch the trailer for Migrant Women Rise below.

Find out more about and support Gabriela Hong Kong here and follow Bad Times Disco on Instagram for opportunities to support their humanitarian and community based activism (and buy a few records while you’re at it).

For tickets to the screening and after-party this Friday, grab your tickets here.

Arun Ramanathan is Mixmag Asia’s Director. Follow him on Instagram.