At the weekend's Love Life 3 Fono, leaders from across the Pacific's sexual minority communities worked on action plans to support and create new networks between transgender Pacific peoples. The third biennial summit was hosted by the NZ AIDS Foundation at Te Mahurehure Marae in Auckland's Point Chevalier, bringing together participants from some of the most marginalised groups from within New Zealand and other Pacific nations. Attended by between 100 and 150 people, the three-day event had a strong emphasis on bringing together New Zealand's Pacific communities and young Pacific people. Participants from Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland and regional areas of New Zealand gathered together with delegates from Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and the Cook Islands. Phylesha Brown-Acton, Co-ordinator of the Love Life 3 Fono for the NZAF says "sexual minorities are some of the communities most at risk of HIV in the Pacific. Research shows that the development of inclusive, strong and supportive communities and organisations is essential for building an HIV resilient New Zealand and Pacific." Small groups of participants worked on action plans for informal support structures for transgender Pacific peoples, and for increased communication between networks based in New Zealand and in the Pacific Islands. NZAF staff from the Pacific will combine the plans and work to facilitate communication between the groups in the future. Samoan-born drag diva Buckwheat hosted the inaugural Miss Love Life awards ceremony on Saturday night, honouring leaders in education, community engagement, health and wellbeing, tradition and culture which were assembled there. "I'm proud to be Samoan and supported by my beautiful husband Peter," she reflected. "And I thank God for the wonderful life I have." The next gathering for the Pacific sexual minority communities is planned for March 2011 and will coincide with the 2nd Asia Pacific Outgames in Wellington. On the video below: Cindy of Samoa belts out the Frank Sinatra hit 'My Way' at the Love Life 3 Fono.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News Staff
First published: Monday, 2nd November 2009 - 8:08pm