I thought for a long time Te Reo belonged to Māori, but it doesn't. It belongs to every New Zealander. I can play my part in keeping the language alive by learning Te Reo and now as a public servant, I feel I have a duty to do so. As a strong woman, who is following in the footsteps of women who haven't been afraid to use their voice, I too mustn't be afraid to use mine, and to set an example for my daughter and hopefully one day my mokopuna to do the same.