Zech Soakai
Zech Soakai is a poet and spoken word artist from Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, New Zealand. Of Samoan, Tongan, German, Scottish and Irish descent, his writing focuses on unpacking Pasifika youth identities within the New Zealand diaspora. At the heart of his poetics are his family, his genealogy and his faith. He has won numerous slams within Auckland, and been mentored under NZ Poet Laureate Dr Selina Tusitala Marsh, Grace Teuila Taylor and Luka Lesson. He hopes to continue to bring poetry to his people and raise awareness of the unique and diverse literacies his communities practice.