26

Sep

Fighting racism with hate is not the right weapon…

Attended the MYNZ Conference 2012: RESPECT N’ REPRESENT! today, organised by Shakti Youth Amabassdors Network. I was delighted to see a conference for young people created by young people. It is also fantastic to see young people learn about respecting and representing for themselves, for who they are and who they believe in. The performances by the different schools were amazing. When everyone is buzzing over the Ching Chong Song at New Zealand Got Talent – eat your heart out – these boys and girls are way better.

NZ Got Talent – Ching Chong Song

As impressed as I am about the conference, I was sitting there feeling very uncomfortable when the issues about racism came up. Look, I deal with ethnic communities all the time and racism is a matter that comes up almost all the time as well. Not news to me. I was not surprise that young people have received racist comments, heard racist comments, and some were brave enough to say that they have been racist themselves.
I was uncomfortable with the remarks by the presenters. Surely, I know, the Chinese were subjected to awful racism because they were the only group that have to pay a poll tax. Yes the Pacific community had the dawn raid. Yes, we have migrants who have to be angelised their names to get a job. Yes, Maori land were confiscated by the crown. Yes, there is still the foreshore and seabed debate. You get my point – I am definitely aware of the racism “colour people” face. Am I angry, hell yeah! But in NO circumstances, that makes it right for us to fight racism by using racism.

What am I saying? It is NOT OK to call the Pakeha/Caucasian/New Zealand European “white people”. “White People” are equally diverse. The “white people” who took the land, ask for poll tax, initiated the dawn raid, etc etc are not the same “white people” that recently migrated from the UK, South Africa, Eastern Europe… Not all “white people” come from the same region. Not all “white people” are racist.

It is not ok to think that all white people, therefore are privileged. Yes, we know that in general, they make more money, they have a better standard of living, and blondes may have more fun (I’ve been complimented on my blonde hair even though I am not “white!”) . No, it does not mean that therefore they will look down on you just because you are coloured people.

We do need to acknowledged the history and even the current times presents discrimination and racism against people of colour skin. We all do. We all make assumptions of who people are based on their looks, not just their skin colour. However, by just saying “the white people did this” and “the white people did that”, is not going to help promote positive race relationships. Instead, it promotes victimization by making all “coloured people” victims.

I have to confess that perhaps my own perceptions on the presentation had excluded me from listening clearly and enjoy the presentation in a different way, but there is no way, I believe, that we should fight racism with racism. We should instead promote positive race relations instead.

Peace!

240 days ago Short URL 3 Comments

Politics/Youth

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18

Apr

非常给力的新西兰访问

从香港远道而来的Global Exchange In Leadership Initiatives (GEILI) 于4月2日到11日到了奥克兰做了有关世界公民和社会企业的访问。

 

有如其名，GEILI希望「给力」给香港年青人一个平台，让世界不同的青年组织交换有关文化和志愿工作，并让希望建立非政府机构或社会企业的年青人能得到不同的学习机会、经济支援和全球青年领袖的网络。

 

GEILI in Auckland

这次到访新西兰是希望亲身感受本国丰富多元文化并帮助青年领袖与新西兰的机构连接，从而发掘和发展商机。

 

这次和GEILI的创办人李家麟和秘书长何文彦带同四个青年领袖前来。在本地的华裔青年团体Future Dragonz与同样来自香港的奥克兰市政府种族事务顾问小组成员庄家欣协助下与社会、商界和政界不同人士碰面。

 

他们第一天参观了Orakei Marae，由Ngati Whatua的Dane Tumahai代表欢迎他们到达奥克兰。Tumahai讲说了很多有关毛利的文化、历史和语言，大家对于毛利人和华人的文化之间的相似度感到非常诧异却熟悉。Tumahai 对于可以迎接这一群优秀的年青领袖也感觉非常荣幸，希望可他们可以把在新西兰学到的带回香港，为两个之间的关系做更大的贡献。

 

接着几天他们与不同的创意工业人士、萨摩亚学者、香港新西兰商会代表、新西兰亚洲学院、孔子学院等人士碰面和交流。他们也到了Waterfront Auckland聆听了市政府对于海滨发展等的计划，惊觉奥克兰和香港两地的海滨计划有着很多相同之处，也让其中几个成员发掘投资的机会。

 

当天一团人到市政厅和奥克兰市长林·布朗闲谈。布朗对于他们非常有兴趣，问了很多不同的问题。更巧的是其中四人与布朗坐同一班飞机到广州，市长在飞机上跟他们继续喋喋不休，还相约了其中几人在香港的时候一同饮茶。

 

市长表示奥克兰目前的焦点在儿童和青少年、绿色城市发展和创业工业上，对于他们的到访时间非常吻合，因为大家有着同样的价值观和抱负。希望这次的交流能让大家正真的为香港和奥克兰两地做出进一步的发展。

 

青年团也参与了纽西兰华联会的年度全国体育大会，当天有超过几百人从全国不同地方聚集在奥克兰，让GEILI各位大开眼界。他们与种族事务部部长Judith Collins和种族事务国会私人秘书Melissa Lee闲聊，对于可以和这么重要的政治人物见面觉得是一种荣幸，也感受到本国政府对于华裔和种族事务的重要性。

 

其中一名参加者，陈詠恩对这次的活动发表了一段非常值得细味的感想：「大约9日的新西兰之旅，大部分的时间都被安排跟不同的社会企业的领袖会面，交流各自对社会企业的见解及理想。作为将届毕业的我，能在踏足社会前接收到不同的概念及思想价值，对将来的思考分析力，确有莫大裨益。在从商理念的收获固然丰富，但最令我反思及赞叹的却是奥克兰人的谦恭之心。奥克兰市内拥有超过200个不同的种族文化，但当你踏足这片土地的一刻，却自然的感到一份和谐、一份打从内心的宁静。我们有幸跟不同文化背景的人民交流，却发现他们每一群人都努力保留自己的风俗，希望得以延续，然而，亦积极融入奥克兰本土的文化。你也许会感到好奇，怎么这小小的城市没有多一点激烈的纷争？ 「尊重每一个人」大概是奥克兰市长以及每位新西兰人的座右铭。当我回到自己的家，看到每日的新闻报导，问题油然而生：怎么一个比新西兰更细小的地方，会有如此多的示威与不满，会有如此多的投诉及谩骂。
其实人的生活要求好简单，我们只想要一个「安乐窝」！」

 

GEILI in Auckland 2012

本地的年青人也跟他们做出交流。他们对新西兰的好奇、大家的交流、女孩子之间的闲聊、对于何家惠的身体和视觉残疾却对生命不屈不挠和开朗的精神非常敬佩。何道：「生活在大城市的我，很少接触大自然。这次到纽西兰，我呼吸到清新的空气，从起床到晚上，耳朵总会听到鸟儿的叫声… 虽然不能用眼睛看片这美丽的城市，但耳朵听见的，鼻子臭到的，手指所摸到的，这一切的感觉都告诉我这是一个美丽的地方。」

 

李家麟对于这次的旅程十分打开眼界：「GEILI奥克兰考察团汇聚了香港和新西兰来自各界的青年代表，探讨华人文化和社会企业的发展。最深的印象是在Easter Tournament的少儿舞龙舞狮表演，感受到令人眼前一亮的新华人文化，和西方文化融合并具有活力的新西兰多元文化。与巿长Len Brown会面和参观Waterfront 项目看见了奥克兰是充满活力的国际都市，将会成为融合全球文化的世界之都，也是国际的模范。这次协助筹办活动的青年代表Bevan和Future Dragonz的行动力和成就，令我印象深刻，看到新西兰拥有得天独厚的天然和人文资源，并且结合了政府的开放和优秀的青年人材，在国际上具有绝对的优势。 」

 

何文彦表示：「九天的交流确实让香港代表团大开眼界。奥克兰文化共融以及在地华人朋友专业又好客的接待和安排，实为新西兰和香港造就不少合作契机；吸引海外朋友探索更多之余，更持续了我们带领各地朋友扩展新西兰的交流网络，相互学习，为所住城市共谋更美好将来。」

 

虽然交流很重要，但更重要的好好感受奥克兰的怡人景色。凑巧天公作美，几乎每天都阳光普照。美丽的风景、温暖的天气和和蔼的人们让各位离开时都依依不舍，甚至想留下来找工作，开玩笑的说要请市长当推荐人呢！

 

举办者希望这次的交流不但为香港的客人认识到新西兰美丽的人文文化，也希望本地的青年华裔人也踊跃参与不同的社会企业和志愿团体，促进世界公民活动，密切关注和合力改变世界上不平等的情况、了解不公平和贫穷等成因。也希望经过这次的活动我们能有更多从两地三岸前来奥克兰交流的年青人。

402 days ago Short URL Comments

Community Events and Services/Hello World!/Youth

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19

Mar

Creating dreams with dreams!

Follow your dreams! An aspirational saying. What is your dream? What do you want to do? How are you going to acheive and follow your dream?

I have been thinking about dreams. My dream is to help young people realise their dreams.

Young people have a lot dreams. Young people needs to have dreams. And thee dreams need to have an opportunity to become a reality. Or they will just be dreams and nothing else.

In the last few months, I have been hearing stories where young people have dreams but not able to turn them into reality. Ethnic youth dreamt about their lives here in paradise, and because their parents may not share their dreams, or that the society did not give them an opportunity to realise their dreams, they stayed just as dreams.

Young people wanted to be given an opportunity to do what they wanted to do. Do music, practice arts, be an astronaut…

Virgin United, a charitable organisation by Richard Brandson says “Virgin Unite connects amazing people and great ideas to make positive change happen in the world.” For me, it is about how I can connects all the dream makers and great dreams to make positive change happen in the world.

My dream is to help ethnic arists in Auckland realie their dreams. Give them an opportunity to showcase their art. Let the mainstream realise how amazing ethnic arts can be. Ethnic arts doe not have to be traditional. Ethnic arts can be contemporary, amazing and also attracts the mainstream.

My dream is to make other dreams come true. Showing them what positive changes they can make to the world, or at least to Auckland. It is my dream to give ethnic youth an opportunity to showcase their talents.

Please help me make this dream come true!!

 

431 days ago Short URL 2 Comments

Community Events and Services/Personal/Youth

19

Apr

Kathryn Hardy Bernal: Revolution & Revivalism 1965-75 – Auckland Art Gallery

Kathryn Hardy Bernal: Revolution & Revivalism 1965-75 – Auckland Art Gallery.

Dear friends – please visit Kathryn Hardy Bernal’s talk at the Auckland Art Gallery Sunday 8 May 3pm.

Many years ago (!!), my dearest Kathryn and I co-curated Loli-Pop: A downtown Auckland view on Japanese street fashion at the Auckland Museum. Which we have, eventually, became a journal article in 2008, called Loli-Pop’ in Auckland: Engaging Asian Communities and Audiences through the Museum.

Both of us hit off really quickly after we first met. Our relationship is really based on our passion on loving everything strange – gothic, lolita, Japanese, and gorgeous boys. (!)

Welcome to my little crazy world. I love the work and the collaborations we have. Not just because it is crazy in its nature, it is also about showing the world that ethnic community is a constantly revolving community.

Just because we are ethnic in New Zealand does not mean we never changed. That we spend all day wearing our ethnic costume, eat ethnic food, and speak in our own language. Just like we don’t expect Kiwis to stay in jandals all day having a barbie and beer and play rugby.

Well this is not an article about me, but to celebrate my crazy girlfriend, Kathryn. She is one of the most talented person I know and as she said, did everything backward. I love her to bits and hope you too. Please don’t hate her because she is Australian!

Love you Kathryn. xxx

766 days ago Short URL Comments

Auckland/Youth

17

Apr

Ethnic A Conference, Auckland: 1-2 April 2011

The Office of Ethnic Affairs organised the EthnicA Conference in Auckland on 1 – 2 April 2011. The Conference examined critical issues around New Zealand’s growing ethnic diversity.

The Conference invited Farah Pandith, the US Special Representative to Muslim Communities, whom I have the privilleged of hearng her speak again at a roundtable event hosted by Asia New Zealand Foundation’s Young Leaders Network.

Young people as ‘change agents’ is something that sticks in my mind. I am driven to ensure that the voice of young people is hear, being the only Under-30 year old in the Ethnic Peoples Advisory Panel. I agree with Farah that young people are making a change, an social networks has become a driver of change.

Social media have given people an opportunity to speak that no other media have given. Egypt is one. Barack Obama is another one.

I encourage you speak to the young ones. Talk to them about what they want for their future. What they think is important. You’d be surprise.

768 days ago Short URL Comments

Auckland/Community Events and Services/Youth

24

Mar

Growing up as youth of ethnic background

I’ve attended the 9th Annual Asian Forum hosted by the Asian Network Incorporated (TANI) on Asian youth health & wellbeing: healthy body, healthy mind conference today; and have the great pleasure of seeing the movie My Wedding and Other Secrets at Rialto this evening.

Both the forum and the movie touched on aspects of what it is like for the ethnic youth to grow up in New Zealand. The struggle to keep your culture alive; the struggle of dealing with two different worlds (and can sometimes be really different); and finding out who you are and your relationship with everyone around you.

One of the speakers at the forum told us a story about a young Chinese girl who have relocated to Adelaide was admitted to the hospital because she was having feelings of breathlessness and chest pains. Tests were done and medical history were check and no one could find anything wrong with her. Only until a Chinese nurse spoke to her to find out that she was actually experiencing lonliness and depression. The story have reminded me the first time I experienced anxiety attack. In a split second I thought I had a massive heart attack and I was going to die. Unfortunately my GP did not do any follow-ups with me after my tests came out normal. Neither did the counsellors I have visited thought these physical symptoms were important. Not until recently I managed to realise that they were anxiety attacks and that from time to time I still experience it. Just learning how to overcome it.

Many years ago I did an interview about my life and view as an immigrant to New Zealand. For me, it was a real struggle to grow up as a 1.5 generation, particularly when I was going through teenage year, the time you wanted to find out who you are and how you can relate to your peers. This is not unique to me, or the Rosanne Liang as featured in the movie. This is happening around the two young people who spoke this morning, one from Korea and the other from Burma; and many other students from Dio who were present at the conference.

I strongly believe that the stories and voices of 1.5 generations, and other youth of ethnic background should be heard by more. I guess that one of the reason My Wedding and Other Secrets is such a hit (not only because it is really well done and it is a brilliant personal story) is because the general public is finding this fascinating. At the same time, those of us of ethnic background can relate to this.

I think it is important for young people to speak out, reach out and find out who can help them along the way. There are many of us who have gone through the same path, and know how hard it is to be a youth of ethnic background. Please – do reach out. There are people who can just be there, be your company.

792 days ago Short URL Comments

Youth

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