Brown-Acton helped organise the stunning Best Float winner in the 2014 Auckland Pride Parade, by Pasefika LGBTQI Youth. Picture / Adam Baines. The Auckland Pride Festival is vowing to continue working to include “New Zealand, the Pacific and beyond”, with new Board member Phylesha Brown-Acton saying it’s important to reach out to places where diversity is not embraced. Also today: Auckland Pride Festival 2015 dates out Brown-Acton, a longtime Pasefika lgbti advocate, is among four new members of the Auckland Pride Festival Board. Phylesha Brown-Acton says Auckland is a hub for the South Pacific "We know that Auckland is a hub for our rainbow sisters and brothers from around the country and from the South Pacific region, especially those from places which are less tolerant of diversity and differing sexual orientations and identities," she says. "We want to embrace them and let them know that they are welcomed, they are celebrated and they are respected. Pride is not just a Parade and Festival, it is about enhancing the mana and wellbeing of our rainbow community." Of Niuean descent, and raised in Auckland Central, Brown-Acton says she is a proud Auckland. She says when she thinks of Pride, she thinks of people. “I think of the rich and diverse community we all belong to. People are what I am most passionate about, and this is what brings me to the Pride board, not only to support a great vision which embraces our Rainbow Community, but also to offer my skills to connect people through culture, identity and celebration.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 28th July 2014 - 2:11pm