Huia O’Sullivan: ‘A platform doesn’t mean you have something meaningful to say’
Finding balance: Huia O’Sullivan with one of the rangatahi she has spent more than two decades working alongside.
The Ngā Rangatahi Toa executive director on overrated influencers, talking to plants and why women should keep their sisters close.
For more than two decades, Huia O’Sullivan has worked alongside rangatahi – in outdoor education, social work, mental health and youth development – helping young people navigate some of the hardest parts of growing up.
Today, she is executive director of Ngā Rangatahi Toa, an organisation that uses creativity, cultural connection and self-care to help rangatahi find their voice, recognise their own mana and build positive pathways for themselves. At the heart of that mahi is Manawa Ora, its flagship creative youth development programme, which has spent the past 12 years giving hundreds of young people the chance to turn their experiences, struggles and aspirations into art.
This week, 20 rangatahi aged 13 to 17 take over Q Theatre for Manawa Ora: Taurite, a new work combining music, rap, dance, theatre and spoken word. Taurite means balance – something O’Sullivan has spent much of her working life helping young people find and something most of us are still figuring out long after our teenage years are behind us.
We asked O’Sullivan to turn some of that hard-won wisdom towards the dilemmas keeping The Spinoff readers up at night.
What bothers you most about the world right now?
Injustices against people and vulnerable communities without the power to fight them.
What sort of people do you avoid?
Chronic complainers who don’t do anything to change. It’s easy to sit in a default space of negativity and requires effort to change the mindset.
What makes you want to get up in the morning?
Knowing there is more mahi to be done. Living my life with purpose and working with community in a meaningful way ensures there is always something more to do.
How do you hold onto hope in these crazy times?
By staying grounded with good people around me. This keeps my feet on the ground while my head is dreaming in the clouds.
What is the single best quality a human can have?
Kindness with no gains. Not for the easy likes or Instagram but purely just to show kindness towards someone or something and putting more goodness into the world.
What’s overrated?
Influencers. A platform doesn’t equate to something meaningful to say. Confusing visibility with credibility.
What’s underrated?
Consistency – showing up and doing what you said you would do. Being there when you said you would.
If you could have a do-over, what would you change?
Wishing I could have backed myself earlier and investing earlier in shares. This would have been a game changer, had I had the confidence to invest in myself earlier in life.
What brings you joy?
Seeing the people I love thrive!
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Feel the burn and dig in. This is when I’m feeling discomfort in writing a report, pushing a comfort zone or learning a new skill. It lives rent free.
What advice do you wish you’d never followed?
Be realistic. This automatically puts restrictions on myself to stay within the box and not seek creative solutions that are required for a lot of our challenges that arise.
Tell us about a controversial opinion you hold.
Passion isn’t enough to make you good for the mahi. I see this within the social and youth sector. Where people may be passionate and require further educational training to ensure they have a safe, ethical practice.
When you’re feeling low, what helps?
Go to the ocean to whakawaatea – cleanse and reset. It’s a key part of the mahi to keep balance and flow.
In what ways is public-facing Huia different from private Huia?
Private Huia is introverted and talks to plants. Public facing Huia is a constant stream of energy out, so the silence and quietness restores energy.
Give us some life advice.
For all the women out there – find your sisters and keep them close as you move through life.
Huia O’Sullivan is the executive director of Ngā Rangatahi Toa, who will present Manawa Ora: Taurite, 7–9 October at Q Theatre. Book tickets here.
