Silent Witnesses – interview

Today I was blessed to be invited to St Mary MacKillop School in Mangere as their “Author of the Month.” The student librarians wrote to me asking if I could visit because they want their friends and peers to do more reading. I think it’s so awesome that these young people have so much love…

Cool morning working with filmmaker, writer, director and actor Vela Manusaute and his sons Rocky Manusaute and Hector Polataivao, filming girls from the Manurewa Marlins u13 Maidens. The girls are writing a book called Whakapau Kaha Mārika Mātou! We Go Hard! that shares their perspectives playing rugby league and it’s awesome to catch their voices…

I’ve been working with children from the Hindi College in West Auckland. We’re making a book that teaches children what to do in a flood. It’s been awesome learning Indian culture from these children and teachers and finding fun ways to incorporate their culture into the story. The project is one of four I’m doing…

Great day launching my new book about Yvette Williams in two communities: in Howick where Yvettte lived, with her family, and in Otara where Chad Robertson (illustrator) and I live and work, with our families.

‘No matter what challenges we face, whether its natural disasters, economic struggles, or even personal hardships, Filipinois always find a way to rise above and support each other.’ (Akisha) Last project of the year working with Filipino young people at Tangaroa College. What a great blessing learning about Filipino culture from these inspirational youth and…

Today ‘Alisi Tatafu and I launched our children’s book Rise of the To’a (the MMT story) online in Tonga. We would have been there if it wasn’t for COVID but there’s still so much to be thankful for, especially learning how beautiful Tongan culture is through this whole process.