Losena | Blockhouse Bay
“I think the last time I had fun was for me, just 20 minutes ago, just finished my rugby training, so yeah. I love being active, I think that’s one of the things I’m passionate about, as well as helping and interacting with others, being a leader out in the community to other youth as well. So yeah, that’s probably the last time I had fun.
I’d say I was born and raised here in New Lynn, in between New Lynn, Blockhouse Bay and Avondale. I just recently finished college last year, Avondale College. It was an amazing opportunity. Right now I’m in Auckland University, and growing up I was the youngest of four siblings, being Tongan-Samoan, it’s very hard to find opportunities out here, especially in New Zealand, being such a diverse country. So, it was an amazing opportunity for me to get to know people, growing up with others around me, that are similar, being a brown Pacific Islander. It’s an amazing opportunity for me to embrace my culture. What I value is family, friends, everyone. I value different people, and everything that we go through on a daily basis.
I’m involved in a youth rugby team, just recently finished my training, but I’m still contemplating if I want to play or not this year, since it’s my first year of university. I’m studying a Bachelor of Social Work, and my training is helping me as I study as well so I can stay fit and stay grounded. So when I get into the police academy I can help out youth out in community such as New Lynn, Avondale, Blockhouse Bay.
Of course we have to have fun at some time and stage in your life. Having fun is something that we all need to have in our lives, not to be serious all the time, just to have fun with one another, you know, treat each other with respect and love and respect, and all that. I think that’s what we truly need in our lives is to have fun, once in a lifetime.
Growing up when I was younger, my upbringing was a roller-coaster. Coming out from being the youngest child of four, my older siblings never graduated from college, so I thought that I’d be the one since I graduated, that I can make a stand throughout all the obstacles I went through, struggling as the young one. I looked up and I saw that we need more Pacific Islander leaders out there, more people to stand up and show others what’s meant to be happening. Hence, why I want to be a police officer, and that’s a way of being a leader out here in our community, just helping out in West Auckland, just helping all, everyone. Especially the youth out here; they do really need help here. That’s my way of giving back to our community.”
