YOUNG PACIFICA HUB

Talofa lava and welcome to the

Young Women’s Hub, a PACIFICA webpage dedicated to supporting our PACIFICA young women and girls (ages 12 to 25).

NATIONAL YOUNG PACIFICA REPRESENTATIVE

My name is Eseta Juliana Sitivi is a proud Samoan and Tongan youth member born and raised within West Auckland. Her father is from Vini Fou (Samoa) and her mother is from Pangai of Ha'apai, in the Kingdom of Tonga.

I am currently studying a Bachelor of Laws with the hopes of working within the Rangatahi and Pasifika Youth Courts in the future.

I am keen for us to discuss how to navigate through the issues that we face as young women and girls and to facilitate discussions on solutions and action. So please get in touch with me if there is anything you would like to bring to light for young women on this webpage.

Please contact me on pacificayouthrep@gmail.com

Each month we will feature a profile one of our young women in the Branches throughout New Zealand.

If your Branch is interested in profiling one of your young people please email through a write up and up to 2 photos please.

Let’s start to promote our young women in our Branches to let people know about the talent that we have coming through the generations not only the future of our organisation but the future of our Pacific peoples and communities.

YOUNG PACIFICA UPDATE

LATAYVIA TUALASEA-TAUTAI

She is from the West Auckland branch and was one of the duo who entered the speech competition for young people and won the speech award at the PACIFICA Inc. AGM held in February 2017.

1. Was this your first AGM (Annual General Meeting) and how did you find it?

Yes, as our branch (West Auckland) came to life in March 2016, this was the first AGM that I have had the honour of attending. It was a new experience however I thoroughly enjoyed it and I encourage more young people to attend.

2. What did you enjoy most about this year’s AGM?

It was such a privilege to be in the presence and connect with such successful, educated and faith centered Pasifika women. It is particularly energising, because we are at a coming of age where our sense of identity is slowly solidifying and being molded through our experiences, environment and choices. Having the opportunity to listen to the wealth of knowledge within the span of that AGM weekend was priceless. I genuinely enjoyed connecting with the incredible women who were very generous with their advice and the laughs were endless.

3. Why did you join PACIFICA?

My Aunty is the president of our West Auckland branch – so there was a family connection to the organisation. She also brought us youth on board because we genuinely enjoy contributing to the community. Also throughout high school and going into our first year of uni – we have been/are in particular passionate about service and Pasifika empowerment. We know the statistics, the stigmas, the shame that people can ensue when dealing with “minorities”. However, we know that complaining about the status quo, is not going to change anything.

Along with our volunteer work within our Auckland community, we have joined PACIFICA which has a rich history of empowering our women. We would like to be a part of cultivating our fellow young women’s progress and growth.

4. What are you wanting to get out of PACIFICA?

Personally, change. Whether that be a change/development in my own perspective, in the stereotypes surrounding our PASIFIKA youth, to cultivate change in my community and be an advocate for Pasifika excellence, not just through flowery words – but through action. I hope to continue learning from the superb women throughout PACIFICA.

To also hopefully put my faith into action and use any gifts I have to empower the immense talents of those around me – who may not have faith in their own unique light. I’ve always been outraged by how the media profile our Pasifika youth, especially targeting West and South Auckland.

So through PACIFICA I would like to be a part of changing those stigmas, by creating more positive media – by being a part of interviews like these, encouraging inter-generational conversation about the dawn raids, black panther, social media, the mau movement, Fa’a samoa…, the list goes on. Pasifika youth have much to learn/gain from our beautiful wise Aunties in PACIFICA, and we have a lot of energy and innovation to invest in our communities. The photo is of my grandmother and I.