Your experience of racism in New Zealand
Tuesday, 7 July 2020
In June, thousands of people gathered in Auckland and Wellington to march in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, following outrage over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Since Floyd's death, protests have erupted across the world, including in New Zealand. Racialised police brutality is not new, but recent events have brought the issue of racism into sharp focus worldwide, and New Zealand is no exception.
In September 2019, Stuff launched a survey asking about racism in New Zealand. Christchurch-based Research First analysed the data, while TextFerret used artificial intelligence to analyse the long-form answers.
About 60 per cent of survey respondents identified as Pākehā, 16 per cent Māori and 14 per cent Asian.
Many shared painful experiences of day-to-day racism by strangers, colleagues, shop workers and officials. Experiences included verbal assaults, put downs, racial profiling and threats of violence – with Māori consistently taking the biggest hits.
The survey also lifted the lid on an undercurrent of resentment from Pākehā against a Māori renaissance.
Others also revealed the times they had challenged friends and colleagues about their racist comments, and a number who confessed feelings of guilt about their own behaviour.
Have you experienced racism during your life? Have you had racially offensive comments aimed at you or people you know?
Have you felt empowered to speak up about racism following the media coverage of Black Lives Matter protests around the world?
Has it made you re-evaluate the things you say and how it impacts people of colour? Have you had difficult conversations with friends or family about racism, white privilege, colonisation and systemic racism following the death of George Floyd?
How do you think can New Zealand achieve racial equality?
To share your experiences with Stuff, hit the green button below. We prefer submissions between 400-800 words. App users: email stuffnation@stuff.co.nz.
