(Picture caption: Natalia Fareti outside the White House in Washington DC during her five-week visit to the United States.)
Wellington-based Natalia Fareti, of Samoan descent, has recently returned from an invaluable leadership experience, setting her and other young Pacific professionals up to advance their careers.
The Director of Strategy, Policy and Design at Toitū Te Whenua, Land Information is one of 10 delegates selected from various Pacific countries for the five-week Professional Fellows Program for Young Economic Empowerment Leaders in the United States.
This initiative aims to bring cohorts of young professionals aged 25-40 together from the Pacific to the United States to work on building significant new capacity and facilitate enduring professional bonds between industry leaders in the US and the Pacific.
This year’s theme for the fellowship was equitable and sustainable economic recovery post COVID-19, funded by the US Department of State and administered by the East West Center.
Natalia spent three weeks working with the Hawai’i state government Office of Planning and Sustainable Development (OPSD) on its Hawai’i Economic Recovery and Resiliency Project.
During this time, she undertook interviews with multiple businesses, industry and membership organisations such as the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, and economics professionals and academics, she says.
“It helped us to understand the economic vulnerabilities experienced and ongoing as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns, and to help develop a strategy and action plan for addressing future similar shocks,” Natalia adds.
The fellowship allowed her to experience some of the nuances of the US Government and its different layers, while also seeing similarities and differences between the USA and Aotearoa New Zealand.
“I was pleasantly surprised to learn that some of our regional economic policies, including one of my former jobs at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, was being looked to as an exemplar of innovative economic policy.
“In turn, I was impressed by the various levels of support that were provided by Federal and State level governments to businesses in Hawai’i during and after the lockdown.”
Natalia and the fellows cohort also experienced some supplemental educational and cultural enrichment activities at the start and end of the fellowship.
“This included a visit to the Capitol in Washington DC, a talanoa with a congressman, and visits to the Native American and other museums,” she says.
“It was both saddening to learn about the accounts of the challenges and traumas experienced by the indigenous peoples of both Hawai’i and the continental USA, but also heart-warming to hear and see the tales of resiliency, self-determination and cultural pride.”
Outside of her work placement, Natalia says highlights for her included visiting the beautiful island of Kaua’i, Mauna Kea, and experiencing some of the Native Hawaiian culture.
“While we have our unique cultural variances across the vasa Pasifika, we are also all interconnected – and it was an honour to get to witness some Native Hawaiian practices and visit off the beaten track places that few get the privilege of experiencing.”
Back in Aotearoa New Zealand, Natalia is looking to work on a follow up small grants project with the fellowship, applying and sharing some of her learnings with others.
“I would like to the thank the US Department of State and the East West Center for the opportunity and encourage people to apply for future cohorts and similar opportunities.”
Visit the East West Center website, and the We Are Young Pacific Leaders Facebook page for more information.