Susan Elliott has worked in the refugee sector for more than 40 years as a teacher, researcher, consultant, facilitator, mentor, volunteer, advocate and ally. She has worked in New Zealand and the UK as a lecturer, and internationally as a consultant for UNHCR, and other multi-lateral agencies as well as NZ MFAT, NGOS and community-based organisations. For ten years she worked part time as a lecturer in Social Practice at Unitec where she taught not for profit management, community development, and human rights, including the rights of the child and refugee issues. 

Sue also has wide governance experience in the not-for-profit sector. She was a founder of the Auckland Refugee Council (now trading as ASST), The Human Rights Foundation, RASNZ and the Auckland Refugee Family Trust where she was a Trustee for more than 10 years. During this time ARFT provided discrete assistance for many Convention refugees to be reunited with their families. Over the past twenty years she has also been a Board member of various refugee background support and human rights NGOS such as the Human Rights Foundation, ECPAT, Devzone and the Aotearoa Community Development Association.

Latifa has a Bachelor of Arts in English and Education and a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism. Latifa has worked in various roles, ranging from communications, project coordination, operations and community development. She is also a keen writer and advocate, and is passionate about all things inclusion, representation, and dispelling myths about marginalised groups.

In this episode we explore the journey of ethnic parents and their resettlement experiences. 

Sister Jennifer Janif migrated to NZ from Fiji 33 years ago.   She has lived experience of being a parent experiencing the challenges of intergenerational parenting in a new environment.   In her  professional role she is a community development practitioner and specialises in working with ethnic communities on issues of wellbeing including  positive parenting, children and women rights and youth development

Brother Gatluak Chuol is a community advocate. His work is to ensure some community disadvantaged by the system should be heard, understood, resourced and listened to in the resettled and migrant community. There are so many generous kiwis out there, but if we don’t raise our voices, they will not come to help in making the change we want to happen.  Refugees are stateless, once they come to Aotearoa New Zealand, that’s their home which makes them reclaim their humanity. Gatluak wishes for us as a society to work together to make a difference— because your voice counts. 

In this episode we hear from Gatluak, a Community Advocate, and Gloria a Senior Lecturer, about their experiences of racism. This podcast explores and compares the experiences of a migrant versus the experiences of a former refugee in relation to racism. 

Gatluak Chuol is a community advocate. His work is to ensure some community disadvantaged by the system should be heard, understood, resourced and listened to in the resettled and migrant community. There are so many generous kiwis out there, but if we don’t raise our voices, they will not come to help in making the change we want to happen.  Refugees are stateless, once they come to Aotearoa New Zealand, that’s their home which makes them reclaim their humanity. Gatluak wishes for us as a society to work together to make a difference— because your voice counts.

Gloria Vázquez is from Asturias, Spain, and arrived to Aotearoa in 1988 and has been working at AUT since 1990. She is currently a Senior Lecturer and Coordinator for the Minor of Spanish at the School of Language and Culture. She has been involved in an interdisciplinary activity and teaching in different courses across various programmes. Her teaching experience also includes ESOL, Academic Literacies, and Language Teaching. 

Gloria is very passionate about migrants and refugees. Her teaching and translation/interpreting experience helped her develop such passion. She has been heavily involved in the Spanish community, and over the years, she has been working with refugees teaching in the English and Literacy programme at the School. She has also been a volunteer with the Red Cross to support new Kiwis resetting in our community, and a volunteer with RASNZ.