Sonny | Rānui

“My name is Sonny. I’m from Rānui. That’s my hood. That’s where I come from and that’s my home there. That’s a big question for me. I’ve got a lot of things on my mind at the moment, so I suggest that, I really don’t know, to be honest, about that question. All I know is that I just want better for the youth, for the next generation, you know? 

The generation after me, because I’ve seen a lot of things around here, a lot of things that need a lot of change, and stuff like that. I can only see the future of other people, not myself, I want to see something better for the youth out here, like a better recreation centre, and stuff like that. 

I see a lot of them struggle, and I see a younger me, pretty much. In other words, I see a younger person of myself in them, and I know what it’s like out in these neighbourhoods, and I know that it’s hard, but there are ways around it, and maybe just a helping hand would do. It’s not just the youth. There’s homeless people. It’s one to another, pretty much.

I was born in Huntly, which is just down in the Waikato, raised up in Rānui and Gisborne itself. I grew up around gangs pretty much. Struggled a lot. Got into trouble, obviously. Got into a lot of trouble, but this year itself I’ve just been pulling myself away from it all, trying to be a better person than I used to be because you know, that’s how it is these days. It’s better to better yourself, and that’s my main goal, is to better myself to become a better father, a better role model for my son and my younger brothers and all the bros that are around here. You’ll probably see them walking around soon. So, that’s all I’m up to nowadays, is to better myself and others, really. Well, the best thing is life itself. Living. Living is the best thing to have. That’s the best that I can answer your question.”