What Can We Do In These Powerful Times?
What Can We Do In These Powerful Times?
Erica Austin
Erica Austin is a social entrepreneur, community weaver, facilitator, photographer and Christchurch Ambassador (LinkedIn). She describes her self as a multi-potentialite, or someone with activities in many fields. As we will hear, in Erica's case, this is something of an understatement.
I was first introduced to her as the Community Activator in the Edmund Hillary Fellowship, a community of 500+ innovators, entrepreneurs and investors committed to New Zealand as a basecamp for global impact. (I am an Edmund Hillary Fellow.)
We have a very rich conversation, touching on many huge themes.
One is culture and identity, especially in a place with strong indigenous and colonial heritages plus inward immigration.
As her introduction (using the Maori tradition of Pepeha) makes clear, Erica was born in China, moved to Aotearoa New Zealand when she was young. We talk about Aotearoa New Zealand as both a bicultural and a multicultural nation: "acknowledging that, that Maori people are the first people who've arrived in this land, and then comes multiculturalism, to be able to then create a space for all people to thrive". How she is part of something she calls re-indigenisation, not decolonisation.
Another theme is neurodiversity. Erica was diagnosed with ADHD when she was young, and really sees this as her superpower, which allows her to connect with other people, and people with places.
One consequence is that Erica is involved in many things, and has organised her work according to the Sustainable Development Goals (or SDGs).
Erica's priorities for the next three years are integrating indigenous practice and knowledge into our modern world, and growing the idea of a learning ecosystem, where people are not just learning in schools, not learning just in the organisation, but actually creating multiple different pathways for them to understand and learn to create better future, the future focus learning opportunity.
We did this interview in November 2023, and I remember being energised for days afterwards. I've just re-listened and again have a buzz from Erica's energy, her ambition, her practices of connecting people, and her uses of her superpower.
Links
Te Pūtahi Centre for Architecture and City Making
Ako Ōtautahi Learning City Christchurch
Taonga -- treasure
Tangata Tiriti – Treaty People
More on the SDG 0 story here.
More notes here
Twitter: Powerful_Times
Website hub: here.
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Thank you for listening! -- David
Hello, and welcome to What can we do in these powerful times? I'm your host, David bent, and I've been working in the field of sustainability and climate change for some 20 years. Feels like the need for change is growing faster than the impact we're delivering. So I'm wondering, What can I do next that's useful. Speaking with others, they have that same challenge, which is why I'm doing this interview series in 30 minute bites, I asked some brilliant people what they're doing now and why, or to inspire and enable the audience, which may just turn out to me through stories grounded in experience. And today I'm joined by Erica Austin, who describes herself as a multi potential light, we'll get to what that means in a second and catalyst. She's also the founder and chief experience curator of EA curation. Hello, Erica.
Erica Austin:Thanks, David for having me.
David Bent-Hazelwood:My pleasure. And I know there's something you'd like to do by way of starting sort of a two or three for that.
Erica Austin:Yeah, so I would love to start with my pepeha. I'm tuning in from alto Tahoe, Christchurch and Otero, New Zealand, and it's a way where the Maori people tended to benowa will introduce themselves and relation to the environment and also acknowledging their lineage. So call 8041 jolted or Kobe in Santa Monica called jozankei Our or Hunter a we call Yonka happen no hi na whoa Inaho Anna okay. Oh, totally caught Erica Austin talking away. Or can a taco Mahi que no. Tengo de Finola Otero? Vinay Kumar, he hooking, King, taco, Otero que no data in Akoto, kathua. yada,
David Bent-Hazelwood:yada. And can you just unpack this? So there's lots of different parts of that, and I know some of it, but just talk us through what you just told us.
Erica Austin:Yeah, so I started off with acknowledging the region where I'm from. So Guangzhou in China, and I talked about the mountain and the river that shaped the I guess the region. So valuation is my mountain. And to Jiang is my river. And I'm also of Han fucka. Papa. So my lineage of my E, which is my tribe, is of Han and Liang is my family name, and Chinese. And what that does is actually trace thing, the way that water works. So if you think about rainfall, falls into the mountains and then rolls off into our rivers. So it's actually in relationship with our, like, our natural environment, to then shape who we are as people. And then I finished off with acknowledging the indigenous people of the region that I'm chiming in from today.
David Bent-Hazelwood:Paul, thank you and are the other people I've interviewed from New Zealand so Rosalie and Matt, you can find them in earlier episodes. They also did bear Pepe ha. And I think some folks may be surprised that people without a Maori heritage do do a Pepe harbour it's, it's part of acknowledging and celebrating being part of a bicultural nation. Is that a fair way of putting it? Yes,
Erica Austin:for sure. And it's one way of someone who has migrated here when I was young to be able to tap into the culture via learning the language and through tikanga, which is the way of being and the way of practice to be able to be more connected to this whole idea and concept of bicultural nation. Yeah.
David Bent-Hazelwood:Wonderful. So that is all by way of orientating us and you as is part of the purpose of the Pepeha helping us understand where you come from. So that leads us nicely to the first question, what are you doing now? And how did you get here?
Erica Austin:So it's a really good question. As David mentioned before, I describe myself as a multi potential light. So I've always grown up with this idea of having multiple passion. So I'm originally from China, migrated to New Zealand when I was seven years old with my parents, and as the only child. And when I was growing up, mum actually discovered that I had neurodiversity kind of tendencies. So I got diagnosed with ADHD. And so from when I was a young age, mum, my parents already knew that I wasn't a neurotypical child. And so they actively embrace this idea of me wanting to do multiple things, and learning was a way for me to exit that And then I grew up and got my master's in architecture and studies that and Tamaki Makoto Auckland. And because of the earthquakes that happened more than a decade ago in Christchurch, I decided to move here to be part of the rebuild. Currently I wear many hats. I'm a community Weaver, photographer, theory, volunteer facilitator, a business owner, I'm a mother to a three and a half year old, and really embracing this superpower, I guess I'll be neurodiverse. And embracing the idea that my superpower also is the ability to connect people with other people and people with places.
David Bent-Hazelwood:And that's where I always feel a little bit. What's the word for it, I always feel a little bit tired. Hearing an exhausted on your behalf when you talk about all the different things you're up to. But we'll cover some of those off as we go forward. Let's go back to the earthquake in Christchurch. Now I was in Christchurch, last year, which was still more than a decade on. And in the centre of town, it's like it's like a chessboard really where some of the squares are still basically empty. And some of them have new buildings on them. And it feels very strange. It feels like almost not Ghost Town isn't the right word. But it feels like a talent. She's still in the middle of a rebuild. Even 10 years on so must have been pretty devastated when the earthquake happened. You went back. What was it you were hoping to do? And talk us through some of the connecting people and places work you did as part of the rebuilding Christchurch?
Erica Austin:Yeah, sorry, I was still doing my masters and actually just go and Auckland. And I was actually working in a cafe when the earthquake happened in the South Island. And because of all of the, I guess hydro electric, you know, generation power comes from the South Island. The whole country, just blacked out. And it was one of those moments when you're like, Okay, you know, when you're transitioning from being a student and thinking about what next? The earthquake really gave me the opportunity to kind of explore what architecture could do. And just to paint a picture for you because the BD the central city, 80% of the buildings were wiped out. So we basically had a blank canvas.
David Bent-Hazelwood:Yes. And just CBD Central Business ditch district. In the UK, we don't have that phrase, but And that's okay. So a tonne of the buildings in the central business district. So the downtown where the offices are, the shops are the cinemas, the churches, all of that 80% of it was gone.
Erica Austin:Yeah. And it took a while for us to be able to get I guess, demolish buildings and reassess what those, those I guess, areas will will be redesigned into. And thankfully, because the plains of Canterbury is flat, that we actually have a flat battery. And for future kind of planning reasons. We can't build above seven to eight storeys high in the central city. And so when you build this is actually felt like a small town. But Christchurch has the population that that makes the city the second biggest city in New Zealand. After 10 years this we are still building a lot of the bigger kind of anchor projects, as we call it. But it has shaped into a completely different city. Compared to pre quakes.
David Bent-Hazelwood:Yes. And your role and all of that your community building community connection, talk us through some of the things you did as part of the rebuild to close church.
Erica Austin:Yeah, and so as part of the transition and the decision making of me moving into Christchurch was that I was part of a very unique festival called festival of transitional architecture. And we had hundreds of articles on design, student binding, big installation, that then worked that leads us into the things you're doing now. You talked with big machinery companies, worked with council to close off the streets and also invited businesses and nonprofit organisations to activate those installations. And as part of that festival, was a one night show of six hours. And during that night, we brought in 20,000 people into the city to really enjoy what it looks like to reimagine what the new city looks like this was in 2012 Straight after the earthquake And it was a magnificent transformation internally for myself, but also being able to see the possibilities of what we could do with a blank canvas. Yeah, so I quickly got into, you know, continuing to work with the organisation, which is now known as taboo to hate the Centre for Architecture and city making, to create programmes to really invite people to participate and be involved in shaping our city, whether it's an event that talks about, you know, stainable practices in the rebuild, or looking at, you know, how do we weave in concepts like intergenerational wellness, and Fianna into, you know, having youth voices, how we can co create and, and have, you know, bridging conversations across sector to create our new built environment that ultimately will reshape who we are, and how we be in the city. So, hence why I wear many hats, because that has opened up a few doors for me, and not being practising as a traditional architect was still able to weave in my sort of architecture skills, were systems thinking, and being invited into the startup and innovation space because of it. Because, you know, there are some similarities and a lot of connection with how we innovate and reimagine things, products, services, and so forth. Yeah. And so about your so your you mentioned earlier, your business EA curates. You sorry, EA curation, apologies. What does that get up to? What do you get up in your, in your day to day what you said, you wear these different hats list, give us what you do under each hat. Oh, okay. So as a person who does a lot and takes on multiple different projects, I like to actually use my top five Sustainable Development Goals to really help illustrate and talk about my areas of impact. And the commitment to leaving no one behind. So my first, I guess my first talk if dG is quality education. So I'm on the board for Ako Ōtautahi, which is the learning city, Christchurch, it's all about creating a learning ecosystem focused on access, equity and innovation. And that is a governance role and volunteer role for me to learn about governance while also being able to create access to this. My second one is clean water and sanitation. And so you know, we all know rivers and water is our life force or or lifeline to all civilization. And one of the things as part of Tebu Terhi. We host these sessions called Christchurch conversation, that initiative that we partner with Christchurch City Council, it's about exploring different social, political and design aspects involving in creating a regeneration city. And so for example, recently we hosted Sophie hope, which is she the first future generation commission of wealth, and she talks about how do we create intergenerational well being. The third one I like to talk about is reduced inequality. So I am a facilitator of ally, skilling, New Zealand, and also a part of leadership lab as a consultant. So on one spectrum and leadership lab, I run two projects, which are focused on amplifying marginalised voices, and understanding more about intersectionality for the multiple different identities that show up that may be oppressed, or marginalised in situations to really look at an examining lived experience to find those cracks and gaps in our systems and unweighting to create those spaces for marginalised groups and support them. And then on the other end, where I'm doing the LS skills work is about educating corporate and tech companies about how they can be allies within the workplace. The understanding on a personal level, how do you identify your own privileges when it shows up, and also identify marginalisation when situations get really bad in our workplace and working through real life scenarios on how we can respond in the moment and on a systemic level? Two more...
David Bent-Hazelwood:We are on three of five...
Erica Austin:three. So the fourth one is sustainable cities and communities. And so again, going back to Capitol Hill Centre for Architecture study making, we run an architecture it, though is actually based on open in health London, right? Model, which, hopefully you've been to. And it's about celebrating the most exceptional works of architecture in Christchurch. And I'm, I'm the programme manager, which really looks at understanding what each building partner needs and support them with hosting the public for one weekend, and we opened up 50 Plus buildings for the public to experience over and over that one weekend. And the last one is a really important one. For me, it's about partnership for little goals, number 17. And because of this, I'm a part of the, you know, innovation and startup ecosystem here in Christchurch. And as you know, being a Fellow and the Edmund Hillary fellowship, I'm the Community activator for this community. And what that means is really to look after our fellows and to weave them connect fellows together to amplify the work that you and other fellows do from New Zealand. And in my spare time, I'm also a learner with Clara, yes, at the same time, all of that is on my learning journey to explore different pathways is, the importance of partnerships for the goals is really to look at how do I become, you know, a member of global networks. So I'm a part of Asia, New Zealand Leadership Network, and also the World Economic Forum, Global Shaper initiative. And locally, I'm part of the futures collective in Christchurch, which is all about understanding future thinking and strategic foresight. So it's all woven together. And because of my five, top SDGs, I'm able to create work, and those I guess, impact areas, but the things that I do will evolve, you know, next year, when you for me, it might not be the same, but my focus areas will stay the same,
David Bent-Hazelwood:the focus areas, I mean, there's quite a lot to unpack the highlights from what you said that I want to come back to the focus areas and what may live beneath them in a second, but I just want to call out a few things, one, on the second of your fibres about water. And, and just to, for folks who don't know, Mary, in New Zealand culture very well, water has a very special place in that culture. That's why in your pepper, how you taught the sort of ordering of mountain river and so on is that's a stretch of anyone's Pepe hard because it's, as you say, water shapes the land, but it also shapes us and it's, it has a special place in sort of Valley Mary cosmology. So it's an interesting one to pick there. And, and just to explain to people also the Edmund Hillary fellowship, I'm one of the Edmund Hillary Fellows is 500. And something I can't really exact number off top my head 2526 and drawn from all around the world, including from Aotearoa, New Zealand. And the idea is to use New Zealand a global network, which uses New Zealand as the place to start to create the social change the economic change all the transformation that we need. New Zealand as the base camp as one of the metaphors has it, and named after an element of theory, probably the most famous and highly respected New Zealander famous for scaling Everest first with his partner tensing. And that's how I know Erica, and I want to come back because people listening to this, those five things, and each of those five SDGs, I don't think I know anybody else has ordered their life around the SDGs. But that's fantastic. Each of those five SDGs itself had a couple of different elements in it. And then you've also said, we're only beginning you've got a three and a half year old child. But so I am slightly surprised that you have any spare time, and people will understand why I said it's exhausting in some ways, but also inspiring. He also said earlier that two superpowers, one, the neurodiversity the ADHD, and the other about connecting people with people and people with places mean, those superpowers run underneath there like a foundation on which those five focus areas are built. So could you talk us a little bit about what for, for instance, ADHD, what about that makes it a superpower for you? How are you able to turn it from something which often is thought of as debilitating into something which is enabling?
Erica Austin:Yeah, so understanding neurodiversity, for me has been a journey. Initially, it's it's seen as disability. And over the years, when I've learned about what that has done for, for me, in terms of my impact areas, it's actually quite special. Because I get bored very often. No kind of like interesting information. You know, I'm constantly curious and constantly finding new ways of doing things. I'm constantly kind of pivoting. And neurodiversity really kind of helps me to connect the dots quickly see patterns, being able to analyse different situations and create connection between conversations that may theme disconnected. And for me, as a superpower, because that helps enable me to connect people who work in different sectors, different communities, to, to have those commonalities and to bring them together to create, you know, better relationships, but also try and create opportunities for them to collaborate if they were focused on something that was similar. And where people would place of course, you know, being someone who is very interested in how our built environment shapes us, and how we shape our environment, it's also about creating that sense of belonging to a play. So for instance, the fellows from from other places in the world who are relocating to New Zealand, the first thing that I do with them is actually getting them to understand where, where they're moving to, and connecting them to the place in the communities.
David Bent-Hazelwood:Cool. And one of the things that I'm This is Radio, so you can't tell, but one of the things that I'm wearing is the tango, which was given as part of the joining the fellowship. So it's a little necklace with a special stone on it, which you could only get in New Zealand, and you can only receive from somebody else as a sign of respect for your work. You can't buy it for yourself, that will be very bad form. But it's a site that's also a way of creating belonging. And I think the thing which I took also, from what you said, there was the connection between those two superpowers. So the ADHD enables you to see patterns and from those paths quickly, that are rather disparate, and others might miss. And that's the thing, which enables you to connect people with each other, as you can see how they might be connected in ways that they perhaps would miss themselves, since those two superpowers are related to each other.
Erica Austin:And also being able to hold information and jump between conversation and spaces. And hence why you know, I have promised myself, I will never work full time for an organisation. Because because that means that I wouldn't be able to fully utilise my superpower is the idea of being in multiple different places to then bring in all of my skills and all of my connections to a role within a project that is special. And
David Bent-Hazelwood:in some ways, you only have those connections in that diversity, because you're involved in many different things at the same time. So they're self reinforcing. So I think the thing I take for what you're saying is that you've created a situation where these things multiply each other rather than getting in the way of each other the diversity and range of things you're doing. Firstly, they have a basis, which is relatively shared, so you're not having to in terms of skill set and capabilities and curiosity. And secondly, that by they there's a flywheel where having more relationships allows you to make more connections, which generates more relationships, which generate more of the work that you're interested in, which generates more relationships. And so it goes round and round. It
Erica Austin:goes. Yeah, I call that the social architecture. Yeah, creating a network of humans and being able to then create impact from that.
David Bent-Hazelwood:I want to move us on to our next question, which is, what is the future you're trying to create? And why?
Erica Austin:Hmm, that's a really difficult question for someone who is so interested in so many different things that I can make the other Yes, but I ultimately want to create a future where we really acknowledge indigenous ways of practice. And so I am personally on a journey to become what we call Tonga tivity. So a treaty partner so as we know, being a bicultural nation, we have to work with our indigenous people in New Zealand. And it's not just a New Zealand they're, you know, indigenous knowledge all around the world. And they fundamental thing for them is to be able to sustain future generation and the way of practice the way of being together the way that they convene spaces where people can connect authentically, and to have this way of future thinking is something that I admire. And I want to really kind of emphasise the power of indigenous knowledge and having the place to be able to access that. Such a gift. Yeah, it's
David Bent-Hazelwood:great. And one of the previous interviews in the series was with the lady called Ella saltmarsh who's talking about the law now project, and part of the inspiration for that is also indigenous peoples, and their sense of continuity of stewarding from the deep past through the present to the deep future, which I think I hear what you're saying there as well. I
Erica Austin:think it is about stewardship and about that ancient and which is
David Bent-Hazelwood:it people like me run the risk of lumping all indigenous cultures into one single indigenous culture, and there are differences significant and important differences between them. But it does seem like a common theme is that sense of from the deep past of the deep future we are we are stewards on that continuity is something which is shared by many, many different indigenous cultures. I think I wonder just for folks who aren't as familiar with New Zealand Aotearoa, New Zealand as we are, the phrase bicultural nation will be new to them. So could you could you explain to people what where does that come from? What does it mean to you? Why not multicultural? What do we mean by bicultural in this particular context?
Erica Austin:So for those who don't know, just really quickly, in 1940, there was a Treaty of Waitangi that basically was signed between the Maori people and and the British who were a colony.
David Bent-Hazelwood:Just you very briefly misspoke. So you said 1940 was 1840. But yeah, 1840
Erica Austin:Sorry, 1840 am i Neither was 1840. I misspoke. Sorry. 1840. And by acknowledging it as a bicultural nation is really acknowledging of the history of the two people that took two cultures coming together and and agreeing on a treaty. And it doesn't mean that we dismiss the idea of multiculturalism, that was the foundation of, you know, for Maori is, is acknowledging that, that Maori people are the first people who've arrived in this land, and then comes multiculturalism, to be able to then create a space for all people to thrive. And here's why we emphasise on the biculturalism. First, before we move on to the multiculturalism, identity of Aotearoa, New Zealand, I think
David Bent-Hazelwood:it's fair to say, which in many ways you illustrate because, as you said, You've your family emigrated when you were seven, and now you're integrated in this bicultural way, as someone who's only visited New Zealand once but nevertheless, a fascinating and amazing time there. I think I would add there's there was the treaty, and then there's a long time of abusing and ignoring the treaty. And it's only in the relatively recent decades, that people have tried to respect and become allies that treaty and really emphasise the bicultural nature nature. So there is still a lot of legacy of terrible behaviour from the British and colonisers. I remember a story at the very first part of our weekend as a Edmund Hillary Fellows that one of the elders at the Maori meeting house we were at talked about how her father was taught to dismantle their house and move it far away from the rest of their family as part of trying to destroy their language, their culture, their community. And that was really in her lifetime. So very, all quite recent, but now it's very strong efforts to make and still a long way to go and still far from perfect, but strong efforts to make New Zealand a bicultural nation, which has that respect from areas the first peoples
Erica Austin:definitely and I would I would say instead of saying decolonization, it's re indigenization Yeah, and really powerful when you frame it that way. Because it in a more kind of hopeful way and obviously been a lot of intergenerational trauma that has happened because of of that. And hopefully in the future generations were able to undo and unbelief. that broken system.
David Bent-Hazelwood:Yes. And for me, personally, I really, I like, I really dislike any D or post kind of framing because it says what you're not so your decolonizing or your post post growth as other things that people say, that doesn't say what you're moving towards. And so in many ways, that still means you're trapped by the thing you're trying to be d or post you're still framed And so being read re indigenized is at least a direction that can be a positive one and one that you're heading towards and trying to create. And there's a lot more to say about that. But we will don't have time now because we need to keep on moving on with our questions. So becoming a treaty partner, was what you want it to be for yourself. And that's part of a future in which we are treating indigenous knowledge and treating indigenous peoples with respect and integrating that into our society. That was the future you're trying to create? What are your priorities for the next few years?
Erica Austin:My priorities for the next three years, while few years actually, is really to look at growing this idea of learning ecosystem. And so fostering this sense of curiosity and get people out of the, the shells, yeah, especially post COVID. You know, people are starting to retreat onto the screen, you know, into their home offices. And we really want to create a learning ecosystem where people are not just learning in schools, not learning just in the organisation, but actually creating multiple different pathways for them to understand and learn to create better future, the future focus learning opportunity. And really looking at the different pathways for our young people. rangatahi, comedically, and growing in a dino and bass and time, we have so many opportunities. And there's no one way to create career pathway. So how can we start to look at I pray that there's a forest with multiple different three, we're the Mundo, the birds who jump off each of the platform in the tree, but still being held by the NIF and in fly and you know, that kind of the, the metaphor that I want to create the learning ecosystem here, and not just to hit Christchurch, but outside New Zealand, who,
David Bent-Hazelwood:what strikes me about because, of course, part of the trend in rich countries is of people having different careers, or work being more sort of broken up and fragmented into tasks and so on. And which can make for very precarious, like gig economy kinds of jobs. And so that's a trend but I love the way in which you're turning that around into well, how can we make the most of that, and how can we make sure there are actually create the career pathways, and create the context in which there can be viable career pathways in which people learn and jump from tree to tree or fly from tree to tree of birds. And it's striking how, in some ways, then the neurodiversity you're talking about becomes almost a crucial feature of being able to navigate that more complex, more fragmented, more dynamic kind of world.
Erica Austin:Yes, yeah. And, and also being able to explore different, different pathways yourself. I'm, I'm, I'm, I've grown up in a family, which are quite traditional in terms of pathways. Yeah, you know, it's, it's not until I finished university that I've signed off on my linear pathway to explore my non linear pathways by myself. And I felt that it was a little bit too late. I wish I had that exposure, you know, way before that, but I'm very glad that I have embraced those identities. But also, this idea that I'm pondering on for even the last few months is around how do we build spaces for people like me, but also people who like to lead in between? How can we create more connectors value, you know, their superpowers in these spaces? To be able to, I guess, yeah, bridge more conversations and break those silos and actually had the collective impact we see. And not just talk about it.
David Bent-Hazelwood:Wonderful. And that's part of that learning ecology in many ways. And if someone was inspired to follow that priority, both on creating and learning ecology and also of integrating indigenous practice and knowledge into our modern world, what should they do next?
Erica Austin:I would suggest that, you know, talk to someone outside of your organisation in a completely different sector, and see what happened. Because there's so many things that are geared around industry, that debate practice, go to something that you would never ever go through and Talk to someone from a differential community. And in start there, try something new, because it is about jumping out of your silo to Yeah, and discover something new. The other part of that, in terms of indigenous, I guess, knowledge for me, because I'm best noted, or there's many ways that I've been asking that and one of the most wonderful ways is to, to go to an indigenous faith to actually explore. So, for me, it's about connecting with a place, which is a meeting health of Maori though the Medina and actually having a novel that I experience, which is an overnight stay in one of these, these places, and that create multiple different ways for you to really acknowledge but also connect with indigenous people and, and their most authentic way. Wonderful.
David Bent-Hazelwood:You've touched on this a little bit, but if your younger self was starting their career now, what advice would you give them
Erica Austin:take more risk. And try and embrace failure. I've been like I mentioned before, I've been brought up in such a linear pathway, perfectionism kind of state, that if I took more risks, younger, I would have probably gotten further in my career now.
David Bent-Hazelwood:Okay. Who would you nominate to answer these questions because you admire what they're doing.
Erica Austin:I would love to hear Ellis diamond, who is a Maori social innovation practitioner, and then organisation called takana, tetrarchy. And translate in terms of the name to the Modi future collective. And they have worked on this thing called the social innovation process called codec hortica. Which gives you the the full rounds of the origin story to go through a social innovation process. And she is young, she is Maori, she see, you know, you the her superpower of understanding the indigenous ways of doing things to help organisations and communities innovate.
David Bent-Hazelwood:Wonderful. Thank you. And is there anything else important? You have to say?
Erica Austin:There's many things many things in my mind, I will actually share one of the facts Okay, which is a proverb. From from, from Mauri. So I'll just I'll just talk about the translation about moving backwards into the future, but having your eyes fixed on the path. So give me a second. Let me try and find this. Okay, Turkey. Here, moolah. And then walking backwards into the future, how more moody so I will send this to you. Thank you, Shiva. Yeah.
David Bent-Hazelwood:Wonderful. Jana. Thank you. So thank you very much, Erica, I think I'm just an astonishing range of different things are involved with, which as I say often can sound exhausting, but she's very inspiring, because underneath them is unreleased, the five SDGs you're working on as these these superpowers connected to the powers of neurodiversity, and connecting people. And I think the thing I would also add is, I've been lucky enough to meet some of the people who are part of writing the SDGs. And in fact, David Navarro was one of the people I interviewed earlier in this series, who was part of it. The SDG they didn't put in, but was something which was shared between the two teams when negotiating between the Office of the UN Secretary General and the ambassadors of the nations was the idea of SDG zero, which was about doing everything with love. Doing everything up higher purpose, and I love that and so I think there is a sense in which you didn't know that story, but there's a sense in which everything you're doing is involved is infused with a love of people becoming the best versions of themselves connecting with other people and of places becoming what they can be as well. So I think there's, with that sentiment, I'm gonna say thank you very much to Erica. Thank you. And thank you very much to all of you for listening. This has been walking you through these powerful times with me David and with Erica, thank you
