What does community mean to you?

Jazz | Te Whanganui-a-Tara

Jazz shares how how much it means to her to have a community that supports her growth and celebrates her achievements along the way.

“People or like my friends from The Base have a disability and they dance with bare feet and we dance on Cuba Dupa, different places and all that. It’s fun because in Cuba Dupa everyone in the community was watching us. I was so nervous because my boss was watching me. I was like ‘oh my god’. And my mum was so proud of me and all my friends, it was fun and all that. The whānau was so proud. Like family and friends are so proud. I got a video of it, it was so fun. And my dance teacher did it for her, everyone and the whole crowd was like, ‘well done.’ And like Jack [Manager at Everybody Eats] saw us and said ‘well done Jazz.’

We’re like a whānau. We walk together and we dance together and all that.

Last month I went with my partner to the musical, Mamma Mia! My favourite song is Lay All Your Love. And then at home I put the music on real loud. It’s beautiful and it’s amazing and all of that.

I volunteered for a year and then Jack, the manager [at Everybody Eats], said, ‘oh there’s like a front of house [job] sign up.’ Lauren, who is my friend Deb’s friend, helped me to do front of house. I love working and meeting new friends at Everyone Eats. I’m very proud of me because I used to do Everyone Eats on a Wednesday with support and now I’m on my own on a Tuesday now.

I talk to the chef, Alicia, and I work with her sometimes. She helps me and all that. I used to have support talk to me and help me cook, help with the food. But now I can do it on my own now.”