24/04/2026
It was a privilege to host Equity, Identity & Civic Courage in Aotearoa - A Panel Discussion on 31 March, a panel discussion that was the third âWhiria Te Tangata: Weaving Communities Togetherâ speaker event hosted by the Waikato Intercultural Fund team.
To our incredible panellists Margaret Wilson, Kemi Fayomi, Jumana Fouda and Molly Äperira Huggan (pictured, left to right, with WIF compere Ninitha Koya on right), thank you for sharing your insights, expertise, and lived experiences with such honesty and generosity. Your voices challenged us, inspired us, and reminded us of what true courage looks like - it was an evening of powerful kĹrero!
A heartfelt thank you also to the hundred-or-so people who joined us at the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts and Gallery at The University of Waikato. Your presence, engagement, and willingness to 'lean in' made the occasion truly meaningful.
This âthought leadershipâ speaker series has a simple but critically important intention - to bring people together, to spark courageous conversations, and to reinforce the social fabric of our region.
Each gathering invites us to look honestly at the challenges before us and to imagine the kind of Aotearoa we aspire to build, one defined by equity, dignity, and genuine connection, and grounded by the enduring promise of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The âEquity, Identity and Civic Courage in Aotearoaâ forum was timed to mark both International Womenâs Day and New Zealand's Race Relations Day in March, as gender and race do not sit in isolation from each other. As expressed on the night, diversity and inclusion can be and should be New Zealandâs âsuperpowerâ.
Read more of this story from Momentum Waikato Community Foundation at https://momentumwaikato.nz/news/equity-identity-and-civic-courage-event-inspires-avmhsu
