Student think tank passionate about diversity issues in Mangawhai

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BY JULIA WADE

Five brave local students have been inspired to start a conversation regarding a challenging and confronting subject – to address the 'us and them' thinking in Mangawhai in order to break down stereotypes and strengthen connections within the community. 

For a good part of 2019, Team Diversity, aka Year 8 Mangawhai Beach School (MBS) students, Ruby Judson, Sophie Lambert, Michael Lynch, Jack Brooks and Tatiana Chan-Chui, have been grappling with a complex world issue, looking at it from all sides and been dedicated to find an answer to their project question: How do we connect people in Mangawhai so that we break stereotypes in our community and celebrate diversity? 

The five presented their in-depth research to a group of interested adults at the Historical Villages Church on October 29. 
“We are all passionate about this issue… it is a really sensitive topic," Ruby says. “We live in an amazing place where people really care about each other and we are committed to making Mangawhai the best it can possibly be… but our research shows we could do better.”

Under the guidance of former MBS teacher Cate Campbell and mentor Brooklyn Wilson, the enquiry is part of a community problem solving international competition, which challenges gifted and talented students around the world, with the team competing in the national finals on November 2 and 3. 

From their community surveys the team discovered 60 per cent of respondents agreed that many people stereotype groups in the community with ‘Aucklanders’ being the most common; 72 percent said staying connected to the community proved a challenge as the population grows; and 85 per cent believe Mangawhai is more diverse now than ten years ago. 

The team explained a label is an aspect about a person such as ‘Aucklander’, and a stereotype is a characteristic to judge a whole group of people, for example ‘snobby’ for Aucklanders. 

“When we put a whole lot of stereotypes on a label it dehumanises them and stops you from seeing the real person which makes it easier to direct hate toward that person.” 

A powerful video recorded to a song Sophie wrote after the Christchurch March 15 massacre, potently illustrates how labelling people and covering them with stereotypes can lead 'to not truly seeing the person behind the labels'. 

Data was also gathered from ‘many interviews with many experts’ including MBS principal Aaron Kemp and Plastic Free Mangawhai founder Kate Matheson, who offered ‘some amazing ideas’ to help the team create solutions, and they also ran focus groups and gleaned information from a well-being survey conducted across Kaipara’s schools.  

In their plan to actively help people challenge stereotypes and retain connection, the team plans to conduct a ‘Diversity Week’ at MBS involving workshops aimed at different ages, as well as organising a community ‘Diversity Night’ involving discussion and activities designed to ‘inspire curiousity, open up conversation and connect people’.

“This is our call to action,” Ruby says. “We would like to hear from people in the community who would be willing to be panelists, who are passionate about and have experience in diversity, and be able to talk about this in front of an audience.” 

The team also needs an MC and a suitable venue for the night, and would like to hear from any businesses who would be willing to help fund the event.  

Reasons why the five are so passionate about their topic vary, from being profoundly affected by the Christchurch massacre and wanting ‘to see less hatred and more love’ in the world, to struggling with people using disabilities and mental illness as insults, ‘it’s horrible and I’d like it to stop’, to having a desire for people to feeling ok to being more open about who they are and ‘celebrating our differences’. 

As a Maori, Samoan, Chinese, Australian and a New Zealander, Tatiana says the topic is ‘really personal and scary because of the judgements’.

Those attending the presentation say they were impressed not only by the depth of the information shared but ‘were blown away’ by the courage of the students for taking on such a complex, sensitive issue. They also agreed the student’s message needs to ‘get out and be heard’. 

 Intrigued? Want to help or know more? A second presentation will be held on November 13, 6pm-7pm at Mangawhai Pioneer Village Church Hall.

Asking the tough questions and forging a path of community acceptance and kindness, the courageous ‘Team Diversity’ aka (from back left) Ruby Judson, Jack Brooks, Sophie Lambert, (front) Michael Lynch and Tatiana Chan-Chui.

“We are all passionate about this issue… it is a really sensitive topic."
- Ruby Judson

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