Dean | Māngere

“So, I’ve moved around quite a bit. I’ve lived in Australia. Recently came back and I discovered a youth movement, not to do with church, though. A youth movement based in South Auckland. When I went to uni, I won a scholarship here at Māngere Arts Centre for the arts programs, and so that was for my Bachelor of Art and Design, while I was studying my diploma in digital creativities, but I met a group of people there.

So it’s a youth movement called Do Good Feel Good, and with all the usually negative stuff that people say about South Auckland or that, the stereotypes kind of surrounding South Auckland, this youth movement rose from that. And so I ended up joining it, and we’re just about giving young ones a voice, and improving the wellbeing of others, really. So, just trying to make South Auckland the South Auckland that we know, because we see it as a happy, safe place and everyone’s united here.

So in the youth movement Do Good Feel Good, I’ve learned to harness some leadership abilities. So, I joined just as a normal member and then I rose above to a leadership role. So I’m not used to something like this. I grew up a real introvert, like pretty closed off. I would say no, if you came to ask me, a couple of years ago, but this youth movement has helped me to put my wellbeing first, because I was always so education, education, education, and dance as well. So, I’m in dance groups, and I would put my wellbeing last, and I’d always suffer in the end. Do Good Feel Good has helped me to do good and feel good, basically yeah. 

So my dad is full Samoan. My mum is half Tongan and half European. So, that makes me Samoan-Tongan-European. I grew up in Māngere Bridge and I went primary there. Childhood was pretty chill. Waikowhai Intermediate, and then I moved to Australia, and I experienced school over there, and I did realise how different it was, and I realised that the thing that Australia was missing was the unity that people in high school here have. So people in Australia, not trying to down them, but it’s just more united here. Feels more comfortable. 

In the future? I have two kind of goals. So, my personal business goal is to finish my Bachelor of Art and Design and then go into hopefully Weta Studios in Wellington, so I could work on some Marvel movies. And my personal life goal is to be an advocate for change, really. I just want to let people know that, life’s okay. Certain stuff that I probably won’t say now.”