Jordyn’s journey to the 2025 Race Unity Speech Awards in New Zealand

JORDYN Joy Pillay, a former South African teenager, achieved national recognition in New Zealand for her commitment to promoting better race relations. 

Pillay, 16, who lives in Ormiston Flat Bush in Auckland, claimed the title of national champion in the 2025 Race Unity Speech Awards. 

“This achievement has definitely exceeded many of the accolades I have received so far.” 

Jordyn, who is formerly from Phoenix in Durban, said the annual awards, which are held by the Race Unit organisation, was a nationwide speech competition. 

The organisation comprises New Zealand's police, Bahá’í community, Federation of Multicultural Councils and Ministry of Ethnic Communities.

She said it was aimed at providing insight and impact on race relation matters across New Zealand, and to propose solutions or a vision for a world with increased cultural diversity. 

Jordyn, a Year 12 (Grade 11) pupil at Ormiston Senior College, said the awards provided a platform for the voices of the Youth of New Zealand to be heard. 

She said the regional level competition took place on March 20 during Race Relations Week in New Zealand.

“I was then selected for the national finals, which took place over two days - May 3 and 4. I competed against 21 other youth across New Zealand to advance to the national finals where six students made it through and from there I was crowned as the 2025 national champion.”  

She said the theme for 2025 was Te Moana Nui o te Kanorau - which is written in Maori - the native language of New Zealand and means 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. 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, about what if every single one of us took a minimum of just 8 minutes to change a life and listen to someone's story, what a difference we would see,” she said.

In addition, Jordyn also received the Tohu Whetumatarau - the Ministry for Ethnic Communities Award for Vision. 

“This is an award for the speaker that proposes a solution and vision for what the world would look like with increased cultural diversity. I received the award for the vision as my suggestions were tangible and would be easy to enforce and implement.”

Jordyn added that the competition had taught her that through hard work and perseverance, God rewarded you. 

“For me 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 am stronger than I think and that every voice, no matter how small, has the power to create change.”

She said while she had many dreams and aspirations, her main focus was to help create a real difference in her community. 

“My next steps include working with organisations such as Race Unity and the Ministry of Ethnic Communities, by volunteering and contributing my service to make a change.”

She added that she also intended on studying law and journalism.

“I want to form a career doing what I am passionate about, which is speaking and presenting, as well as contributing to make a change in the law field. I am being led wherever God wants to take me, so I am just following his lead.

“I also plan on starting my own organisation called #ItStartsWithMe, because the only way we will see improvement and change, is if we take the first step. The organisation will be a platform where we become the change we want to see in the world by taking the first step to creating a world that is more diverse." 

Jordyn added that racism and race relations were major issues.

“However, in order for it to change we don't need some huge revolutionary act. We just need little changes that will last life long. In my speech, I mentioned, ‘1 action, 1 move of acceptance, 1 simple gesture, 1 reaction of kindness; this is the action we need to take to see the change. 

“The simple task of taking some time out of your day to just ask someone about their culture, we will be able to learn more together. This will ideally shape the way the upcoming generation thinks too. If we continuously stick to a mindset that says racism will never change, and there's nothing I can do about it, then others will do that too. But if we as individuals, challenge ourselves and take the first step, we will influence others to do the same." 

Vaneshree Pillay, her mother, said she and her husband, Pregasen, were overwhelmed by the opportunity given to their daughter. 

“Jordyn has put her entire self into this competition. It was an exhilarating experience from day one as every child that participated was absolutely brilliant. We are proud of Jordyn and this achievement but we also remember that God has been in control of this situation. 

“It was rather stressful for Jordyn and during this time, we were so grateful to my mum, Krishnee Nair, who was visiting us from South Africa. She was incredibly supportive and encouraged Jordyn that this competition was hers to win. She never doubted and true to her word, Jordyn received first place. We also encourage every young person out there, make your requests known to God, believe in yourself, be authentic and all will work out in God's divine time,” she said. 

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