Mixit is all about people. Meet our Alumni, our Youth Leaders and the support team that have made Mixit what it is today.
Youth leaders
Mixit has a dynamic Youth Leadership programme. This programme offers motivated individuals an opportunity to step up into roles where they face new challenges and opportunities to grow their skills.
Youth Leaders take on organisational and planning responsibilities, gain experience of creative facilitation skills, manage the digital media aspects of the project, have the opportunity and support to initiate events and projects that inspire them. The youth leaders are an integral and dynamic team within Mixit and work hard together to make a difference.
Shahram Qasimi
Youth Leader
Shahram’s journey with Mixit began at our Auckland outreach workshop in July 2022. Coming from Afghanistan and fresh to New Zealand with no friends and minimal English, he found support and joy in the session. This positive experience nudged him to dive and commit into the core program, seeking to navigate this new NZ culture. Mixit swiftly became ...
Arezo Nazari
Youth Leader
As a newcomer to New Zealand, Arezo was invited to end-of-year picnic in 2021 from other organisation, where she first encountered Mixit. Subsequently, she joined the summer project – “VOICES” in 2022. Originally from Afghanistan, Arezo initially struggled with homesickness and isolation. However, her time at Mixit proved transformative, allowing ...
Zohal Afshary
Youth Leader
Originally from Afghanistan, Zohal joined Mixit in 2021 when she was introduced through her sister. The fun and energetic atmosphere immediately caught her attention, and she decided to participate regularly. After coming for a year, she was invited to step up as a Youth Leader. She values the inclusive and welcoming environment that provided a pla...
Team
Izadine Ahmat Abdallah
Programme Leader
Izadine started out at Mixit as a shy and unconfident teenager, but he was determined to find positive ways to grow. He found his stride, first as a youth leader and then as an Alumni, inspiring others like him. In 2020, he completed his film studies at the School of Audio Engineering and in 2023 he earned a diploma in Entrepreneurship from AUT. H...
Wendy Preston MNZM
Creative Producer/Director
Wendy has over 30 years of professional involvement as a choreographer, director, tutor, performer and artistic producer/manager. She has worked extensively with young people on performance projects throughout her career, focusing on cross-cultural and inter-disciplinary creative interaction. Wendy has collaborated with leading practitioners across...
Ekta Gyawali
Operations Leader
Ekta became a part of Mixit in 2022 during the challenging aftermath of COVID, stepping into the newly created position of Operations Leader. Drawing from her own experiences as a migrant in Aotearoa, she holds a passion for empowering young people and finds fulfilment in her role at Mixit, viewing it as an opportunity for both personal and profess...
Board members
Susan Davis
Trustee
Susan has a background teaching and engaging with visual arts and poetry initiatives. As a trustee she brings a set of skills that connects the space between Board and Management and flows through to direct mentoring of the Mixit participants. Susan hosts our annual Youth Leaders retreats on her rural property in Northland and is a deeply committed...
Mike Becroft
Trustee
Michael is an Art Director in film and been part of the NZ film industry since the early 1980s. Closely associated with Mixit since it was established in 2006, he was the inaugural Chair of the Board. He retains a seat at the board table providing a steady voice of reason, a wise overview and ensures the project remains true to its core purpose, al...
Amavi Mey
Trustee
Amavi is the Communities Engagement Manager at Fonterra and enjoys being in a role that connects the business world to communities. She’s also been a school teacher and thrives in situations that are about supporting growth, including being on the Board for May Road School and a volunteer for Springboard Trust. Amavi is a Cambodian NZer from a fami...
Alumni squad
Mixit Youth Leaders graduate into our Alumni team. The team actively engage on many levels – as Ambassadors, on the Board, mentoring youth, performing for external events, creating music (check out our videos) and participating in continued training to creatively lead and manage outreach opportunities.
Ray Santiago
Alumni Squad
Ray joined Mixit in 2020 as a creative intern during the "In a Curious Garden" summer project while completing his final year at university. Since then, he's become an integral part of the Alumni squad, facilitating Mixit-style sessions nationwide and engaging in youth-related activities. Originally from Philippines, he was drawn to Mixit's heartfe...
Mu Nyay
Alumni squad
Mu Nyay has been actively involved with Mixit since 2013. In 2018, she was appointed as a Youth Leader, and in 2021, she became a member of our Alumni Squad. Reflecting on Mixit programs, Mu Nyay expressed, "I cherish the moments on the floor because it's all about enjoying ourselves, and I believe everyone shares that sentiment." She graduated fro...
Rana Arif
Alumni Squad
Rana's Mixit journey began during the 2018/19 summer project at age 17. Based in Hamilton, she became a vital youth connector for Mixit and only after moving to Auckland, she officially joined the Alumni Squad. She cherishes the vibrant energy, the giggles, and dances that define the Mixit experience. With a degree in Human Development and Human Re...
Selected guest artists
Claire Talbot:
Garden Designer
Chris O’Connor:
Composer & Musician
Katy Burton:
Choreographer & Performer
Alexander Holloway:
Stage Combat
Felix Becroft:
Performer & Musician
Gaby Thomas:
Choreographer & Performer
Sparrow Phillips:
Artist
Daniel Ortiz Rodreiguez:
Composer & Musician
Bert Van Dijk:
Theatre Director & Performer
Katy Parker:
Visual Theatre Artist
Tawanda Manyimo:
Theatre Director & Performer
Ahi Kahrunahran:
Theatre Director
Andi Crowne:
Photographer
Elijah Kennar:
Choreographer & Performer
Gino October:
Musician
Margaret-Mary Hollins:
Theatre Director & Performer
Ilai Amar:
Film maker
Matilde Polard:
Visual Artist
Helen Todd:
Lighting Designer
Eve Gordon & Dust Palace:
Performers & Aerial Acrobats
Bianca Hyslop:
Choreographer & Performer
Ebon Grayman:
Performer & Aerial Acrobat
Gemma-Jayde Naidoo:
Choreographer
Bethan Marshall:
Artist/ Muralist
Eddie Elliott:
Choreographer & Performer
Jahra Wasasala:
Multi-Disciplinary Artist
Malia Johnston:
Choreographer & Director
Don McGlashan:
Composer & Musician
Paulo Rotondo:
Director & Writer
Mike & Bronwyn Baker:
Ariel Acrobats & Circus Tutors
Yair Katz:
Musician
Muhammad Ali Kanwal:
Musician & Performer
Ella Becroft:
Photographer & Graphic Designer
Chris Jannides:
Choreographer & Director
Emily Carter & Natalie Keane:
Costume Stylists
Megan Bardsley:
Graphic Designer
Tama Jarman:
Theatre Director & Performer
Andrew Cesan:
Choreographer
Justin Haiu:
Choreographer & Performer
Ben Crowder:
Actor
Mel Bailey aka Kloos:
Performer & Musician
Tahi-Mapp Borren:
Guest Artist
Ooshcon Massuers:
Choreographer
Chris Graham:
Theatre Director & Performer
Miriama McDowell:
Theatre Director
Julia Deans:
Musician
Maisy Conway:
Garden Designer
Moss Patterson:
Choreographer
Katy Dugdale:
Visual Artist
Sarah-Jane Blake:
Visual Installation & Designer
Global connections
Mixit has a growing network of similar inspiring creative organisations that work with young people and marginalized communities. We are interested in making new connections, partnerships and opportunities with like-minded groups. If you have a project and want to link up with Mixit reach out, start talking and join our global connections map.
CAN – Community Arts Northwest, Manchester
can.uk.comProject Phakama, London
projectphakama.orgContact Theatre, Manchester
contactmcr.comRichard Mille Replica
.richardmille.toOvalhouse Theatre, London
ovalhouse.comCounterpoints Arts and Platforma, London
counterpointsarts.org.ukCoHealth Arts Generator, Melbourne
cohealthartsgenerator.comMulticultural Arts Victoria, Melbourne
.multiculturalarts.com.auThe Open University for Refugees, Singapore
initiativeour.orgHelp us continue Mixing. Donate today.
We are a Charitable Trust which means that all donations of $5 or more are eligible for a tax rebate. We send out our tax donation receipts each year in April or May (just after the end of the NZ tax year) with a little update of what we've been doing for the last year.
You are welcome to make a one off donation, either by clicking on the big purple box at the top of the page, or contact us to enquire about how to pay us directly.
You can also contact us to talk about taking a more personalised approach such as contributing to a specific project, donating your time, making a generous one-off donation or becoming a volunteer driver.
Our Friends of Mixit donate regularly, this can be set up with us directly, hitting that big purple box at the top of the page, or by following this link One Percent Collective and becoming a donor with them. Please ensure you select Mixit as your reason for joining.
One Percent Collective is an amazing charity that connects people who want to give back and do good things in the community with great charities around NZ. Mixit is one of the select charities One Percent Collective thinks NZ'ers should know about. One Percent take NO percentage of the donor’s contribution, instead donating 100% to their charities.
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