Jasmine Wong started Class of 2020 as a way of helping teen voices be heard during the pandemic
At Honeycombers, we truly care about social responsibility. Whether it is donating used items, adopting pets or thrifting vintage clothes, we love to help the world with our own actions. Recently, we sat down with Jasmine Wong, founder of Class of 2020 to learn more about the launch of her artistic initiatives that unites teens across the world.
Tell me about Jasmine Wong…
Like all other students from the class of 2020, Jasmine’s final year in high school was interrupted by Covid-19. As her school in the UK had to shut down, she promptly returned to Hong Kong in late April. Jasmine is heading to Paris this October to study fashion design.
How did the charity start?
“When I first came back to Hong Kong, I was struggling with quarantine, not knowing what to do,” the founder of Class of 2020, Jasmine Wong, explained. “Noticing that a lot of students couldn’t present their works at exhibitions and fashion shows due to the virus, I decided to create a platform for them to showcase their talent.” In May, Jasmine gathered six other team members from around the world, from countries such as Singapore, Japan and Nigeria, and slowly Class of 2020 was born.
Tell me about Class of 2O2O…
Formed in May this year, Class of 2020 is a charity organised by a group of inspired young artists. The goal of the project is to create a magazine involving one-hundred youths from across the globe, allowing them to tell their own stories through creative means. All the profits from the magazine will be donated to Global Giving’s Covid Relief Fund and the Equal Justice Initiative in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
How were the works gathered?
The team first started by reaching out to five artists they knew. From video interviews to photoshoots, they collected a variety of artworks contributed by teens all over the world. Some works were specially made for the magazine, while some were pieces that did not get showcased due to the virus.
Any problems and achievements?
While it may sound like a relatively simple process for success, there were some obstacles the team had to conquer. “Our crews live in different time zones, so we rarely had Zoom meetings where everyone was present. People did not really know each other and it was hard for them to voice out their true opinion in the group chat,” Jasmine said. “Fortunately, despite our diverse cultural backgrounds, we did not have arguments on values and perspectives. I guess having an open-mind is what united us.”
What’s special about this magazine?
The magazine is a community-based creative photobook, formatted in A4 size with 76 pages. It contains around 30 pieces, including detailed interviews with some people, photos of 3D works, and a yearbook-style collection of fifty high school graduates.
A lot of times, magazines only show the glamorous side of people, but with Class of 2020, they champion authenticity and believe in togetherness. Although the team members are physically apart, the contents of the book will prove to be the opposite of emotional isolation. The Class Of 2O2O is the class that will graduate from this year altogether.
Jasmine ended our chat with three inspiring sentences: “Although our future is looking uncertain, things will work out at the end. Be who you truly want to be even during the hardest times. Someday when you look back later, you will be proud of yourself for not giving up your goals.”
How can I support Class of 2020?
The team really wants the voices of all contributors to be heard, so the best way to support them is to purchase their magazine. Although pre-order has begun, Class of 2020 will continue to take orders until around the end of September. The magazine is now sold at 40 USD (around 310 HKD). Alternatively, you could choose to share their website on social media to help them with promotion.
Visit the website of Class of 2020 or follow them on Instagram
