“We got your back” is what some well-known Pacific influencers want to reassure our communities as New Zealand continues its fight to stamp out COVID-19.
Together with partners Bright Sunday 4pi, the Ministry of Health, New Zealand Police, SunPix, Tagata Pasifika and Pacific Media Network (PMN), the Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP) launched the We got your back campaign following the resurgence of COVID-19 in the Auckland community.
The tagline is inspired by an interview with Pacific COVID-19 survivor Sela Alo and his words.
Sela, the General Manager for Pacific Media Network is advocating for New Zealanders to unite and show their solidarity by following the rules.
By taking these personal actions to follow the rules, it expresses the ultimate act of compassion to others.
Sela says it is a way of showing your family, neighbours, and strangers that “You have their back”.
This birthed the inspiration for the name of the campaign, which launched with a special programme on TVNZ 1 on August 17.
Featuring Sela and his story of surviving COVID-19, the half hour programme is now available On Demand TVNZ and the Tagata Pasifika website.
In the days following the campaign launch until August 26, when Prime Minister Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern will announce if Auckland will move from its current alert level three or not, we have been rolling out messages of encouragement from Pacific influencers on social media.
These influencers, whose words carry weight in New Zealand and the Pacific region due to their great accomplishments, include: Sela Alo, Dame Valerie Adams, David Letele “Brown Buttabean”, Dr Lesina Nakhid-Schuster, David Tua, Rev Setaita, Patrick Tuipulotu, Diamond Langi, Charlie Pome'e and General Fyah, along with Nicole Whippy.
The aim of “We got your back” is to share real experiences and conversations about COVID-19 through our influencers and encourage the team of five million plus to stand in solidarity and support during this time.
Four-time world champion, four-time world Indoor champion, two-time Olympic and three-time Commonwealth Games champion and twice IAAF Continental Cup winner Dame Valerie Adams says during her message she feels uneasy when people say COVID-19 is not real.
“It’s pretty stupid in my opinion,” Valerie says.
“I pretty much hope that our family and our community out there listen to what the Government has to say because it is all based on science, and we have to be there for each other and to back each other up.
“This is real, this pandemic is real – this is bigger than all of us and we need to stick together to combat and unite against COVID-19.”
You can find messages from the Pacific influencers on MPP’s social media platforms: MPP’s Facebook page, YouTube channel, Twitter account, LinkedIn and website, as well as the Pacific Aotearoa Facebook page and Instagram account.
It is our goal to keep you as well-informed as possible during this time, and we encourage you all to do your part in stamping out COVID-19.
Remember to practice good hygiene, stay at home if you are sick, and to be kind.
We have done this before, and we can do it again - We got your back Aotearoa!