Kia ora e hoa mā, It’s been just over one week since we delivered our 68,000-strong petition to Parliament calling for Bob Jones’ title of honour to be revoked. As Labour MP Kiritapu Allan said when she received the petition: “What you’ve done is shine a light on a dark issue, which is racism. You’ve drawn a line in the sand to say racism is not okay - overt, satirical or otherwise. That’s powerful. Thank you” We presented the petition in a moving tikanga Māori ceremony. You can watch the delivery or read about it in the links provided below. Now it’s time to take the momentum we have created together and use it to drive long-term change that starts with education. Our collaborators for this petition, ActionStation, have launched a new petition calling for education policy that ensures all tamariki (children) in Aotearoa learn about local hapū and iwi history, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, colonisation and its impact. It asks for a nationwide Treaty education strategy so that adults can access this learning as well. And it says that te reo Māori should be widely taught and celebrated. By learning our history, and sharing in each other’s language and culture, we can and will become a less racist, more accepting, more manaaki-based nation of people. Add your name to the new petition here: https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/let-s-build-an-aotearoa-new-zealand-where-all-understand-value-and-honour-te-tiriti-o-waitangi Thanks so much for all your support & a huge thank you to those of you who donated - we were able to cover the costs of the delivery & koha a small amount to a Pasifika whanau who had travelled from Auckland in support. We did this together. Change is afoot. Mā te wā, Renae, Laura & Kera P.S Here are some links to media coverage of the petition delivery: The Spinoff: https://thespinoff.co.nz/atea/28-03-2018/the-petition-to-strip-bob-jones-of-his-knighthood-has-been-delivered-will-anyone-listen/ NZ Herald: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12021006 Newshub: http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/03/petition-to-revoke-sir-bob-jones-knighthood-presented-to-parliament.html Video of the delivery: https://www.facebook.com/ActionStationNZ/videos/1493821327406737/ Photos of the delivery: https://photos.app.goo.gl/58gz6cfRdOrQBNaj1