The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the inequities and racism that our people suffer. As a leader of an at-risk rural community with few services, I had to mobilise with my whanaunga iwi very quickly to ensure we had the systems and support in place to protect our whakapapa and keep the virus out of our community. We lobbied locally, regionally, and nationally for resources, we established a call hub, we sent out kai and sanitation packs, and we set up iwi community checkpoints to discourage inter-regional travel. I was incredibly proud to work and stand united alongside my whanaunga leaders of our Taranaki iwi, and I'm so honoured that many of them are here in the gallery today. 