Vocal Roots

Change of locations for our community panel on Sunday!

We’ll be hosting the panel discussion in the Akozone, level 1 of Auckland Central City Library from 2pm-4pm.

Conversations will include panelists from arts, community, creative and academic backgrounds led by our emerging curators. Come listen in, join in and reflect on the questions and answers over afternoon tea. Registration link is in our bio ✨

Meet panelist Andrea Edwards 🌍✨

Andrea Edwards is Head of Standards at Eco Choice Aotearoa and a passionate advocate for environmental justice, community empowerment, and sustainable futures. She earned her PhD in Environmental Science from the University of Auckland in 2022, with research exploring the environmental and social impacts of the Huntly Power Station. Through extensive archival work, Andrea uncovered historical documents, stories, and records that illuminate the intersection of energy development and environmental injustice in Aotearoa.

That same year, Andrea joined the Working to End Racial Oppression (WERO) programme, leading research into the drivers and effects of environmental injustice experienced by ethnic communities in Tāmaki Makaurau. She has since completed the project and is in the process of publishing her findings.

Beyond her environmental work, Andrea is a skilled facilitator who contracts with the Peace Foundation, teaching conflict resolution and peer mediation to secondary school students across Auckland. This work has led her to facilitate an annual two-day workshop for Tautai Pacific Arts Trust over the past five years, focused on cultural safety and conflict resolution within the arts space.

At the heart of all Andrea’s work is a belief that justice, safety, and belonging are not abstract ideals — they are the conditions under which communities truly thrive. It is from this foundation that she brings her voice to the Black Joy workshop: a space that refuses to let struggle be the only story. Because when we dismantle the systems that harm, protect the environments we live in, and create the safety to be fully ourselves, joy is not just possible — it becomes an act of resistance.

Meet panelist 🏠✨

Evelyn (Eve) Park is a Zambian-born community leader, entrepreneur, mentor, and property professional based in Auckland, New Zealand. With more than 30 years of experience spanning hospitality, beauty, real estate, leadership, and community advocacy, Eve is passionate about creating spaces where people feel seen, empowered, and connected.

She served as President of the African Communities Forum Inc. from 2020–2025, helping lead and advocate for African communities across Aotearoa during and beyond the COVID-19 period. Her work has focused strongly on cultural identity, leadership development, migrant empowerment, and building bridges between African communities and wider New Zealand society.

Eve is also the founder of MyReliablePro and is developing initiatives that connect leadership, storytelling, business, and emerging opportunities between Africa and New Zealand. She brings to this panel a deeply personal perspective shaped by migration, resilience, entrepreneurship, womanhood, faith, and community leadership. She holds a strong belief in the power of authentic conversations and collective healing, and she is excited to be on the panel exploring why it is important for Black voices in Aotearoa to speak up unapologetically and take up space.