Our Kaupapa | Cause

Women of colour experience systemic and invisible racism and sexism, and their experiences are denied or dismissed.

We aim to be an anchor for WoC. We aim to provide a safe space where women of colour and ethnically diverse women feel seen and heard, can recharge, challenge biases, feel empowered and be proud of their identity.

We strive to address the inequities in Aotearoa for WoC to thrive.

We are a rōpū mainly made up of women of colour who are tangata tiriti. We welcome all women of colour to join us while acknowledging the significance of and differences in the experiences of our sisters who are tangata whenua and people from the Pacific.

Our Whakapapa | Origin

We began in July 2021 when a group of Asian women came together to workshop the internal and external challenges we face in western workplaces and how we can help the next generation to rise so we can increase that representation.

The session was sponsored by Xero Auckland and crafted by Suki Xiao, a career and leadership coach who had been interviewing Asian women about their experiences in the workplace. Suki had set up her own coaching company As You and realised there was a space where the intersections of being a woman, Asian women or women of colour could be explored. In this first hui, a group of around 30 people, who started off as strangers then became acquaintances and friends, talked candidly about their experiences in the workplace. There was power in the stories of resilience, peer awhi and the potential to do more.

Then we had a number of in person and virtual meet ups, where we talked about community solutions to overcome these challenges. These sessions included an allyship session which we invited our allies along to hear about the challenges we face and an anti-racism session where we partnered up with Inclusive Aotearoa on the topic of what is anti-racism and the how-to.

We had our last community session in December 2022 where Suki put the call out to form a committee. The aim was to formalise the group and create events and other avenues of connection for Asian Women and Women of Colour across Aotearoa.

So that is where we are now. We are on a journey of bringing WoC Aotearoa to life.

Women of Colour Aotearoa is committed to raising the representation of and elevating Women of Colour in the workforce. We recognise the privilege we have to be able to live in Aotearoa, we honour te Tiriti and support tino rangatiratanga and mana motuhake for the Indigenous people of Aotearoa.

Diversity is a super power, you are not alone. Come join us.

Our Mātāpono | Values

Belonging

We aspire to create a sense of belonging by cultivating a safe space to learn, grow and connect. We validate each other’s lived experiences. We celebrate our different identities and the things that bring us together.

Equity

Equity is more important to us than equality because we acknowledge that no one starts from the same place with the same privileges. We strive to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to participate.

Self-Determination

We allow ourselves to redefine what it means to be a woman of colour. We support each other to break through barriers that limit our growth. Tukua kia tū takitahi ngā whetū o te rangi (Let each star in the sky shine its own light).

Committee Members