Youth MP Wakefield-Otene is using her voice to help whaikaha rangatahi voices be heard
Napier’s Youth MP is giving local rangatahi/young people a chance to speak for themselves.
By Aleksandra Bogdanova, Youth Press Gallery, Youth Parliament 2025
Photo: Mariah Wakefield-Otene, Youth MP/Supplied
National MP for Napier Katie Nimon chose Mariah Wakefield-Otene to represent Napier in the Youth Parliamentary event held in Wellington.
Wakefield-Otene is a St Joseph's Māori Girls' College student from Napier who plans to do just that, represent Napier through emphasis on law and human rights.
In choosing Wakefield-Otene, Nimon highlighted not only her intellect, but her character, “Upon meeting Mariah, it was clear she is a smart, confident young woman. I was really impressed hearing about what’s important to her and what she wants to achieve in the future. I can’t wait to work with her.”
This year’s Youth Parliament saw a change in procedures, where instead of the Youth MPs simulating a mock bill, they now work in groups of 10-12 to encourage community engagement on selected topics.
Wakefield-Otene grew up with a sister who lives with ADHD and dyslexia. For years, she saw her sister’s educational struggles first hand and grew curious of how many others faced similar challenges.
It was natural for her to gravitate towards focusing on a topic that involved influencing sectors of government which improve education and employment opportunities for young Kiwis with disabilities.
Photo: Mariah Wakefield-Otene, Youth MP/Supplied
As Napier’s Youth MP, Wakefield-Otene is tasked with initiating events that facilitate community engagement. She chose to base her events around her topic of aiding Kiwis with disabilities / whaikaha. When asked about her approach to event coordination, she thought it would be best to let the youth speak for themselves.
She held her first event on the 16th of June, where she met with several rangatahi from schools throughout Napier. Through kōrero and kai, the youth brought forward ideas on what ways the government could aid their whaikaha friends and whānau.
Reflecting on the event, Wakefield-Otene said the kōrero was worthwhile, “I was able to interact with the youth of Napier, which helped me gain information about what youth are most affected by. It was a great night and everyone enjoyed themselves.”
Her MP, Nimon, isn’t at all stressed about Wakefield-Otene’s ability to handle herself. When asked about the events Wakefield-Otene plans to hold, Nimon says, “I’m looking forward to forming a young advisory group that will work closely with Wakefield-Otene, ensuring that the voices of young people are heard and valued.”
With the help from community, whānau, and Nimon, Wakefield-Otene plans to bring the worries voiced by rangatahi in the events to The Chamber through the Youth Parliament General Debate session.
During the session, Youth MP’s are given an opportunity to speak for three minutes on a topic of their choosing. For Wakefield-Otene, she does not plan to drown out whaikaha rangatahi voices but instead uplift them by using her own voice to support them.