National recognition for teen calling out racism
Media Story by Phil Taylor, Eastern Times.
Jordyn Pillay holds her special prize – Tohu Raukura ā-Motu – the NZ Police National Champion’s Award as countrywide winner of the 2025 Race Unity Speech Awards, with Rakesh Naidoo of NZ Police left, and Tim Botting, the Ormiston Senior College principal second left. Photos supplied.
A young east Aucklander is taking a strong stand against racism and cultural ignorance and receiving national acknowledgement for her courageous efforts.
Jordyn Joy Pillay, a year 12 student at Ormiston Senior College, entered this year’s Race Unity Speech Awards and her impassioned words and presentation of the message was judged the best out of 150 entries from other teenagers across the country.
“Every year the Race Unity speeches are focused on promoting racial unity and to address race relations in Aotearoa,” Jordyn, tells the Times.
“The theme this year was Te Moana Nui o te Kanorau – The Great Ocean of Diversity. My speech involved the metaphor of I am the Ocean.
“I portrayed humanity as the ocean because sometimes we can be so welcoming and calm, but at other times we could just drown others out in hatred.
“This is the true state of racism in humanity, always contradicting and changing.
“In my speech I spoke about tangible effective ways to help see increased cultural diversity within our school and communities,” says the 16-year-old.
“I also shared personal experiences about how racism labelled me as incompatible, but we all have a voice and a story that deserves to be heard.
“The main message of my speech was simply to ask questions about the cultures around you.
“I proposed the thought, what if every single one of us took a minimum of just eight minutes to change a life and listen to someone’s story, what a difference we would see.”
At a positively uplifting ceremony at Ormiston Senior College, where she delivered her speech to a capacity auditorium filled with fellow students, Pillay received Tohu Raukura ā-Motu – the NZ Police National Champion’s Award, and Tohu Whetumatarau – the Ministry for Ethnic Communities’ Award for Vision.
Following the prize-giving ceremony, and after she delivered her speech to the packed auditorium of fellow students, Ormiston Senior College kapa haka group delivered a meaningful haka honouring Jordyn.
Ormiston Senior College principal Tim Botting was also proud to receive on behalf of the school the Police’s school award.
There were 14 entries by Ormiston Senior College students in this year’s Race Unity Speech Awards, a new school record.
At the presentation, Rakesh Naidoo, the national partnerships manager – ethnic, iwi and community partnerships for NZ Police, talked of the organisation’s pride to “honour such an outstanding student” in Jordyn and the message she is conveying.
NZ Police has sponsored the Race Unity Speech Awards since 2008, a competition originally launched by the New Zealand Baha’i community 25 years ago.
“It takes a lot of courage to stand up and speak out against racism and to lead change,” Naidoo said.
Botting talked to the audience of teenagers, stating “it’s really powerful what Jordyn is saying”.
“Every single person here has a voice. You are all individuals. What you bring to the school is yourself.
“Be proud of who you are. You all bring value,” said Botting.
One statistic that stood out in Jordyn’s speech is that Ormiston Senior College has students of 180 ethnicities, which would make it one of the most culturally diverse schools in New Zealand.
She with her family arrived to live here from South Africa in March 2023.
“This achievement has definitely topped most accolades I have so far,” says Jordyn.
With all the dignitaries including members of her proud family and MP for Takanini, Rima Nahkle, fourth from right.
“This was my opportunity to learn about the culture of New Zealand, so when I heard of the opportunity, I grabbed it with both hands.
“It taught me that when you truly work hard and persevere, God will definitely reward you.
“Personally, this deepened my faith in God, as it was only because of him and in his strength that I was able to achieve this.
“It taught me that I’m stronger than I think and that every voice, no matter how small, has the power to create change.
“By participating in this competition, I got to strengthen bonds of culture, connection and community,” Jordyn says.
“Not only was I able to represent my culture I was warmly accepted by so many other beautiful cultures around me.
“I got to meet the most inspirational people and learn so much about different heritages.
“I connected with people through our sense of identity and belonging and had meaningful conversations about what it means to truly connect and belong.
“For months, I’ve struggled finding a community that I belong in, but Race Unity has become more than a competition. It’s become a family, a community.”
Jordyn says her commitment to encouraging better understanding of cultures and improving race relations is motivated by her awards success.
“If there’s one thing this competition has taught me, it’s that it never stops at the end of your speech.
Jordyn and Anahita Oei, the strategic programmes lead at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities.
“I was given a stage to share my futuristic goals and make a real impact in terms of race relations in Aotearoa.
“To me, racial unity comes from connection. People need to feel that they belong in order to actually live in harmony,” she says.
“We need to get to know each other. So many people are overlooked, but when you hear their story, you understand how much your cultures have in common.”
Jordyn says she’s forming a Race Relations Club at Ormiston Senior College.
“This will give rangatahi a stage to let their story be heard.
“I plan on working closely with Race Unity to execute a platform that promotes racial unity and particularly motivates the voices of rangatahi.”
Long-term, after graduating from school, Jordyn wants to work in areas that she can be a people’s advocate.
“I plan on working in international relations and law when I finish year 13, giving me potential pathways to work in the United Nations and travel for my passions,” she says.
“I’d also love to get my own organisation started, which is currently in the works.
“An organisation that equips all youth with a pathway and actionable steps to make their voices heard.
“I want to take the stand and take the first step, because we can change generations to come once we understand that It All Starts with You and the steps you take.”