Āniwaniwa Alliance – LGBTTQIA+ support

The Āniwaniwa Alliance is a group that supports our LGBTTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, Takatāpui, queer, intersex, asexual, and other sexual or gender minorities) community at Wintec. 

Āniwaniwa is a te reo Māori word for ‘rainbow’. We aim to raise awareness around issues that our rainbow community face, to advocate and create visibility for our rainbow community, and to make Wintec a safe space for our rainbow whānau.

The Āniwaniwa Alliance educate staff on rainbow topics, advocate for LGBTTQIA+ staff through policy and internal practice reviews, collaborate with rainbow communities in Kirikiriroa, Hamilton and the Waikato, and facilitate events for staff and students. Through collaboration with teams and individuals across Wintec, we influence positive change through building strong relationships and creating awareness and visibility.

Our logo was designed by one of Āniwaniwa Alliance's founding members, Pablo Taylor. The heart is a universal symbol for love and care – a central tenet of our kaupapa. The different colours are derived from some of the flags of LGBTTQIA+ groups, including the Pride flag, Trans flag and Pansexual flag. The black, brown and white colours that run down the centre of the heart symbolise a commitment to people of all races and ethnicities, especially ethnic minorities.