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Social media campaign celebrates NZ’s diverse population

“One thing I would say to someone who is prejudice, or has ignorant views around black people, is come experience us, bro.” is the answer from Black Lives Matter Aotearoa organiser Mez Tekeste when questioned as part of the new ‘Richer with Me’ campaign launched today by social media and content agency, Culture, emploring New Zealand to use social media for good.

Over the coming 12-months, the digital crusade will attempt to educate Kiwis by sharing the stories of other New Zealanders reflecting on camera about all those times they have been judged, questioned, subject to prejudice or abuse while internally they know how hard they work, how long they studied, all the great things they are capable of and have contributed to.

The team at Culture – a social media and content agency – hopes the project will provoke ongoing dialogue and reflection, bringing to the surface what equality and inclusion look like for different communities within New Zealand’s diverse population, and ultimately highlighting that New Zealand is so much richer for having such amazing people of all backgrounds.

The first video in the series focuses on Black New Zealand.

“Equality is something that’s hard to get. I’m looked at differently, therefore I can’t be equal, ” says Ronald LaPread, musician, who walked with Martin Luther King Jr 56 years ago.

“I grew up basically being ashamed of my blackness, not really valuing the blackness that I embody.” Former refugee, policy advisor and activist Guled Mire shares.

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Dr Camille Nakhid, Associate Professor at the AUT, says, “Never let anyone tell us that there is something wrong with being black.”

Jay Hall, social creative at Culture, explains the work the Black Lives Matter movement has been doing – coupled with efforts closer to home – meant now was a critical moment in time to ask New Zealanders to question their own belief system, inner racist and challenging prejudice thoughts and behaviours in the hope of change.

“The concept came about following the horrific Christchurch terror attack and was further driven by recent events around the death of George Floyd in America and the Black Lives Matter global movement,” Jay explains.

“When you work in an industry that has huge potential to reach an enormous amount of people, you have a moral obligation to do what's right, to use that platform to break down barriers and expose people to our diverse cultures, religions, sexualities and people, in an attempt to change attitudes in New Zealand.

“Social media is often reactionary, where acute noise is made on chronic issues. By developing an ongoing campaign, we want to ensure there is always a voice for our diverse range of communities here in Aotearoa. There are too many people who only shout and scream for social clout, only for a brief amount of time and only when we hit breaking point.”

Over the coming year, the campaign will showcase different communities sharing why New Zealand is richer with them, including Iwi and the LGBTQ community.

Ryan Newton, General Manager of Culture, says, “As a social agency, we’re constantly across social media and understand what Kiwis are saying through our social listening platforms. But there’s no point just hearing what people are saying and not taking action. We feel a responsibility to use our skills to tell the stories that matter, highlight the real issues and do our bit to make social media a place to create awareness on social issues and current affairs, not just a place to post the latest protein powder or teeth whitening solution.

“New Zealand has a growing smorgasbord of people and cultures. Despite this, we could be much more integrated, much more inclusive and celebrate each other's differences more. This societal changing of prejudices, acceptance of difference, growth in education and ultimately, we hope, love and inclusion of difference, needs to take place in our schools, universities, peer group, workplaces and homes.”

To view the inaugural why is New Zealand richer with you? video, click here.

© Scoop Media

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