From Trauma to Turntables: Hong Kong Mothers Find Hope as DJs

In a world of vinyl records and Cantonese classics, Holy Lee Hau-yin, a Hong Kong mother of three, is reinventing herself as a professional DJ. She's turning a new page after an abusive marriage and years of childcare. Lee, 28, will perform at The Peninsula Hong Kong hotel on Mother’s Day, hoping to build a career. This was once unimaginable for her, having spent her prime years caring for her children, now aged 10, eight, and six. Lee, who has a history of borderline personality disorder, relied on medication for 14 years. She recalls a dark moment during her first pregnancy when she was 19, that made her commit to caring for her child. Her mental health was worsened by her ex-husband's issues. In 2023, social workers referred Lee to the ChickenSoup Foundation, a charity supporting families in crisis. There, she met Edward Man Ho-wai, who started Club Soul Good, where she discovered a vinyl store and was encouraged to DJ. Man saw her potential and helped her see DJing as a viable career. At the charity, Lee met May Chen Meixiang, 52, who battled postpartum depression and considered harming her newborn. She had to pay off her ex-husband's debts while raising her children. The other mother, Carrie Lam, 31, lost her husband in a car accident in 2020, leaving her to raise three young children. She considered foster care but was changed by her children's love. The three mothers bonded over their shared struggles. Now, they plan to use their DJ project for vinyl-themed events. Man