It is hard to believe that the Marlborough Multicultural Centre has been part of the Marlborough community for two decades. When I think back to the early days, I could never have imagined just how much MMC would grow, how many lives it would touch, or how deeply it would become woven into the fabric of our community.

For me, MMC has never simply been an organisation or a workplace. It has been a journey - a journey of people, relationships, friendships, challenges, achievements and, above all, connection.

I feel privileged to have been part of that journey.

Over the past twenty years, I have watched MMC grow from its early beginnings into a trusted and respected organisation supporting people from many different cultures and backgrounds throughout Marlborough.

I have watched our outreach expand and have seen the Centre become a place where newcomers can find get education relevant to successful settlement, practical help, friendship, encouragement and, perhaps most importantly, a sense that they belong.

But the numbers and the growth only tell part of the story.

The real story of MMC is in the people.

It is in the family who arrives in Marlborough not knowing where to begin. It is in the newcomer who finds their first job. It is in the parent who becomes confident enough to participate in their child's school community. It is in the person who learns to navigate a new system, makes their first New Zealand friend, or stands proudly on a stage at the Multicultural Festival sharing their culture with thousands of others.

Those moments are what make the work so worthwhile.

One of the greatest privileges of my years with MMC has been walking alongside people as they have settled into their new lives in Marlborough.

Every settlement journey is different. Some are relatively straightforward, while others involve enormous challenges and uncertainty. For many, moving to a new country means leaving behind family, friends, language, familiar customs and everything they have known.

I have been particularly privileged to walk alongside Meeri and to watch her settlement journey unfold.

Seeing Meeri grow in confidence, establish herself and achieve her goals has been incredibly special. To be alongside someone as they navigate a new country and culture, and then to see them make their own contribution to the community, is one of the great rewards of this work.

Of course, the achievements belong to Meeri. I simply walked alongside her, offering encouragement, support and perhaps a little guidance when it was needed.

Her journey is a wonderful reminder that successful settlement isn't something we do to people. It is something we do with people.

It is about walking alongside, listening, encouraging, opening doors and believing in the potential of each person and family.

My own journey into this work was shaped by some very special people.

One of those was the late Ann Dysart, whose wisdom, warmth and vision had a lasting influence on me. Ann introduced me to the E Tū Whānau kaupapa and helped me understand the importance of looking beyond the immediate needs of individuals and families to the wider wellbeing of communities.

As I reflected in a recent MSD E Tū Whānau interview:

That richness has certainly become a very important part of my life.

I have learned so much from the people I have met through MMC. Their resilience, courage, humour, generosity and determination have often inspired me far more than they will ever know.

One of the things I have always tried to do through my work is encourage the wider Marlborough community to understand that settlement is a two-way process.

Newcomers have responsibilities. They need to understand and respect the values of their new country and find their place within the community.

But we also have responsibilities as a host community.

We need to be open to learning, to challenge our assumptions and to recognise the incredible contribution that migrants and former refugees make to Marlborough.

Our newcomer communities bring a richness and diversity that make Marlborough such a unique and vibrant place to live, while also making a significant contribution to the region’s economic growth and prosperity.

As I said in my E Tū Whānau interview:

That is something I truly believe.

Our community is richer because of its diversity - culturally, socially and economically. The people who have chosen to make Marlborough their home contribute enormously to our region.

In 2019, I received a Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Award for Marlborough. The following year, I received a Queen's Service Medal for my services to the migrant and refugee-background communities of Marlborough.

Those honours were very special, but I have always felt that they were really recognition of a much bigger collective effort.

Nothing we have achieved through MMC has ever been the work of one person.

It has been the work of staff, volunteers, trustees, partner organisations, community leaders, supporters and, most importantly, the many people and families who have trusted us to walk alongside them.

I am particularly grateful for the many friendships that have grown from this work. Some people who first came through the doors of MMC as newcomers have gone on to become community leaders, volunteers, employers, advocates and friends.

That is something that makes me incredibly proud.

As we celebrate twenty years of MMC in Marlborough, I think it is important to celebrate not only where we have come from, but also what has been created along the way.

The Multicultural Festival is a wonderful example. What has grown into such a vibrant celebration of our many cultures brings thousands of people together. Music, dance, food, language and tradition all become a way of connecting us.

And I think that is what MMC has always done best - created opportunities for people to connect.

It has helped newcomers connect with Marlborough and helped Marlborough connect with the many cultures that now call this region home.

I am proud that I have been part of that story.

Twenty years is a wonderful milestone, but I don't think MMC's story is anywhere near finished.

Our communities will continue to change. New people will arrive. New challenges will emerge. And there will always be work to do to ensure that people feel welcomed, valued and able to participate fully in the community.

I hope the next twenty years will see MMC continue to grow its reach and influence while never losing sight of what has always been at its heart - people and relationships.

I hope we continue to create pathways for newcomers to share their skills, talents and cultures, and that we continue to encourage the wider Marlborough community to recognise just how much we all gain when diversity is embraced.

Most of all, I hope we continue to walk alongside people.

Because ultimately, that is what this journey has taught me.

People don't necessarily remember every programme, meeting or service we have provided. They remember the person who listened. The person who helped. The person who believed in them. The person who said, “You can do this - I'm here to walk alongside you.”

For twenty years, MMC has been doing just that.

I feel incredibly grateful to have been part of its story, to have shared in the journeys of so many remarkable people, and to have witnessed the Centre grow from an idea into such an important part of Marlborough.

And as I look towards the future, I am excited about what is still possible.

The next twenty years belong to a new generation of leaders, volunteers, families and community members who will continue to shape what MMC becomes.

I hope they carry with them the same belief that has guided me throughout this journey:

Because when people feel they belong, when cultures are respected, and when everyone has the opportunity to contribute, we don't just create better outcomes for newcomers.

Together we create a stronger, kinder and more connected Marlborough for all of us.