Kia ora e hoa mā, Like many of you, I remember reading Bob Jones’ racist op-ed on Waitangi Day and feeling a well of hot anger and overwhelming sadness rise up inside me. I’d just finished writing a hopeful piece about how Waitangi Day 2018 signalled a sea-change for Crown-Māori relations when I read this. At that moment I found myself thinking if opinions like these still get published by mainstream media, maybe we haven’t actually come that far. But then Renae launched her petition and 65,000 people like you signed and my hope for a future free of racism was restored. Next week, I am proud to tautoko (support) Renae to deliver her petition to Parliament on behalf of the ActionStation community. The petition delivery event will be a tikanga-based ceremony centred around creating a country that affords every person the opportunity to grow and flourish free from discrimination. Renae has been working hard to pull this event together in her free time and on a voluntary basis, but there are a few hard costs we need your help with to ensure this event is a success. Will you please chip in to help us deliver this petition? Here is what your donation will be contributing to: Koha for mana whenua Banner design and printing (colour) Petition printing Koha for a photographer Kai for ceremony attendees Travel costs (petrol vouchers for whānau and friends who need support to get there on the day) Any additional funds raised will go toward a future campaign for education policy that that ensures all children as part of their compulsory education, learn about the hapū/iwi histories of their local area, the context and content of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, colonisation and its impacts. If you can, please make a donation, big or small (it all helps!) here: https://donate.actionstation.org.nz/endracism With hope and determination, Laura, Renae & Kera P.S The petition will be presented at Parliament grounds at 11am on Tuesday 27 March. We’d love to see you there!