10 schools, 3 continents, 1 mission: how Resolve Foundation’s founder is advocating inclusivity in Hong Kong

Wisniewski Otero was born in the ’80s, and shortly after her birth, her mother moved from Spain to the United States. The family settled in Poughkeepsie, New York, before relocating to Wilmington, North Carolina, when Wisniewski Otero was four.

Wisniewski Otero’s mother, seeking a Spanish-speaking community, joined the local Hispanic association—a decision that would later shape Wisniewski Otero’s life. Young Wisniewski Otero participated in the group’s community service projects, like helping a neighbour in a wheelchair repaint her house. “Those memories stuck with me and shaped who I became as a teenager,” she says.

Just as Wisniewski Otero began high school in the late 1990s, her family moved to various parts of Central America. They lived in places like Guatemala, which was recovering from a civil war, and Nicaragua, the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

“I had never seen that level of inequality before in my life,” she recounts. “Sometimes, we visited tourist spots like beaches and traditional villages, and children younger than me would try to sell me things. Those experiences left a deep impression on me. I was beginning to form my own worldview, and I knew what I saw wasn’t right.

“What I saw forced me to confront my own privilege. My whole journey into adulthood has been about addressing those inequalities and empowering others to do the same.”

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By the time she was 18 years old, Wisniewski Otero had attended 10 schools across various states and countries. While the constant changes were challenging, they fostered her resilience and deepened her understanding of belonging.

Through her experiences she realised that a true sense of belonging is about creating an environment where everyone is accepted, valued and respected, and where individuals actively uphold that culture. She experienced this firsthand at The Language House, a dormitory that became her home during her four-year studies at the University of Maryland.

The aptly named Language House fostered a diverse and inclusive community. Residents, who spoke languages from Chinese to Spanish to Farsi, organised events like talent shows and cooking competitions. Wisniewski Otero even helped coordinate a bilingual section in the student literary magazine. “It was a richer educational experience than the classroom setting,” she reflects.

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After graduating from the University of Maryland in 2006, Wisniewski Otero pursued a master’s degree in international studies at The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, home to one of the four United Nations (UN) headquarters. She was intrigued by the UN system and how nations collaborate to address global challenges. 

After finishing her studies, she spent eight months as an urban studies research assistant in Kuwait with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). During that time, she studied and raised awareness about the substandard living conditions of marginalised groups, such as migrants and labourers, in Arab cities. 

Wisniewski Otero later became a researcher at The Center for Economic and Social Rights, a non-governmental organisation in Spain in 2010. There, she investigated the impact of the global financial crisis on people’s social and economic rights, such as the right to work and access to education.

During her tenure, the group collaborated on a joint paper with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. This paper focused on the key issues that UN member states should commit to tackling after the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) concluded in 2015.

In 2012, Wisniewski Otero relocated to Hong Kong with her partner and joined the Hong Kong Refugee Advice Centre, now known as the Justice Centre Hong Kong. As an advocacy and campaigns manager, she dedicated herself to raising awareness and improving the treatment of refugees. After four years, she took a sabbatical and eventually stepped down.

Though she was experiencing burnout, Wisniewski Otero’s decision was also prompted by a series of global events that signalled a shift from inclusive practices towards minority groups in 2016. These developments, such as the surge in UK hate crimes during Brexit, led Wisniewski Otero to question the effectiveness of existing advocacy methods.

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While on sabbatical, Wisniewski Otero conceived the idea for the Resolve Foundation. “When we think of marginalised or underrepresented communities, we think of needs and deficits. You indeed need to focus on the immediate welfare of people on the brink of destitution. Addressing the immediate welfare of those in need is crucial, but it’s not enough to create a truly inclusive society,” she says.

“We also need to foster understanding and acceptance of marginalised groups by the majority, recognising them as a source of strength. We must acknowledge the value they bring in creating diverse and vibrant communities.”

Since its launch, the foundation’s fellowship programme has empowered over 110 individuals. Through workshops and mentorship, participants gain the skills to become community leaders and drive change. The foundation has also funded 30 of the fellows’ projects, benefiting about 80,000 people in Hong Kong.

Wisniewski Otero found the Covid-19 pandemic particularly challenging due to the pervasive sense of helplessness in the city. To counter this, she cultivated a learning mindset that encouraged innovation in herself and her team.

With support from the Equal Opportunities Commission, Resolve Foundation launched a toolkit, enabling individuals to become allies and active bystanders in addressing race, gender and disability issues. This initiative led to a pilot program in secondary schools to promote inclusivity and belonging.

In the coming year, one of the foundation’s goals is to research and collect data on the long-term impacts of its outreach efforts. It wants to assess and quantify its contribution to social inclusion in Hong Kong. 

“I hope we’ve built a generation of leaders with the shared mindset of what inclusion looks like in Hong Kong, and that they have—and will continue—to break new ground for creating a more inclusive society,” the non-profit leader says. 

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Here, we ask Wisniewski Otero a round of quick-fire questions to get to know her better.

What is your favourite childhood memory? 

Victoria Wisniewski Otero (VWO): I love the ocean. I started open-water swimming this year, and I live in Mui Wo [in Hong Kong]. My favourite childhood memories are of days at the beach and near water. 

Do you have a role model you look up to? 

VWO: Shalini Mahtani, the founder and CEO of The Zubin Foundation, is someone in Hong Kong who has done incredible things. I have drawn inspiration from her and am lucky to call her a friend. We are part of Voice for Social Good, a group started by non-profit leaders during Covid-19. That group of women got me through the pandemic.

What does social justice mean to you? 

VWO: It’s about forging a society where everybody has equal opportunities to advance and people feel like they belong.

Share one piece of advice for social entrepreneurs or non-profit leaders. 

VWO: Don’t be afraid to ask. You may get a ‘no’ if you ask, but a “no” today is not necessarily a ‘no’ forever. If you don’t ask, it will be a ‘no’ forever. 

What brings you happiness? 

VWO: There are so many things that I derive joy from. For me, it is riding my bicycle or seeing water buffalo on the beach. I also always make sure I’m the first person my children see in the morning and give them a snuggle—a shot of dopamine for the day.

As a social purpose leader and a mum of four young children under four, I find it crucial to forge the space to access those sources of happiness into my day-to-day [routine].

This article is part of Founder Stories, a series dedicated to discovering the untold stories and challenges of today’s entrepreneurs on their climb to the top. Meet more Gen.T Leaders of Tomorrow from the Philanthropy & Charity sector. 

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