We are one sleep away from Semi #2, and to help bring the hype thought we’d introduce you to our judges! Jessie Fenton is a poet, a criminal lawyer, and a weapon with a sewing machine. She’s a former Word coach, a national slam runner up, she’s won slams everywhere from WOMAD to the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, and next Thursday, she’ll be performing at Basement Theatre as part of GOD MOTHERS, a blistering poetry show about motherhood and otherhood. Damien Levi (Te Āti Haunui-a-Paparangi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāpuhi, Pākehā) is a publisher, editor and arts facilitator. He is the founder of Āporo Press, editor of the essay collection Tāmaki Makaurau 2025: Essays on Life in Auckland (2025), co-editor of Spoiled Fruit: Queer Poetry from Aotearoa (2023) with Amber Esau, and was the lead editor of the online arts and literature journal bad apple. His poetry and essays have been published online and in print. Talia Stanley - (she/they) is proudly a disabled Samoan creative from Tāmaki Makaurau. She is the 2024 New Zealand Poetry Slam Champion and has over 12 years of experience in the arts and community sector. She works for The D*List as their Community Development Lead and is studying her Masters in Community Development and Social Impact. Talia believes by supporting and amplifying community voices and stories, we can create meaningful and positive change. Mark Esekielu, Senior Manager for Mental Health and Addictions at Le Va, brings over 29 years of dedicated experience to his role, encompassing community, social services, and mental health sectors. A New Zealand Samoan, Mark’s journey is marked by a deep commitment to supporting youth and developing others. He holds qualifications in Psychology, Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Social Work, and Business, blending his cultural, clinical and strategic insight. 📅 Saturday 22nd August, 1pm 📍 Herald Theatre, Auckland Live 🎟️ $5/$10 link in bio!

Action Ed Community Spotlight 🔦 One of our new additions to the Action Ed team, but definitely not a stranger to our mahi! Ari has come up through poetry guiding some of our best, including herself, to championships! Every poem she has is a haymaker! 👊 Fav poet: "impossible question but Stevie Davis-Tana has a special place in the ngākau" @steviesion Highlight of your '26 so far: "Joining the Action Ed team (unlimited slam camps)" Word of advice: "Talent not met with practice will simply fade. Keep practicing your art ✨" #AE #spotlight #community

With less than 24 hours until the first heat we thought we’d reveal our amazing judges for WTFL Semi’s Heat #1! Jesse Gibson (COCOSHAKIM) is a South Auckland-based poet, filmmaker, musician, and contemporary artist. He facilitates youth creativity through Te Karanga Trust and has exhibited work across Auckland. Jesse is passionate about storytelling, Pacific voices, and supporting emerging young creatives. Onehou Strickland - is a poet and facilitator from the heart of South Auckland. She now finds herself in the world of film and TV as a writer, editor, media operator and director. She has been a member of the legendary SAPC, which has seen her travel the country performing and leading workshops in Spoken Word and if you’ve watched ahikāroa, kairākau, tangata pai, te pāmu kūmara to name a few then you already know her work. Sherry Zhang 章雪莉 is a writer working across theatre, prose and poetry. She is born and raised in Tāmaki Makaurau. Her family are from Fujian, China. She was the editor of The Pantograph Punch, an arts and culture journal, and co-manager of Te Kāhui Creative writing, a rangatahi led creative writing programme for underserved communities. Her play Yang/Young/杨, co written with Nuanzhi Zheng, is published with Playmarket, and was staged at the Basement Theatre with ATC Here & Now festival. Her poetry can be found in The Spinoff, A Clear Dawn: New Asian Voices from Aotearoa New Zealand, and Poetry Aotearoa 2026. And most importantly - word the frontline alumni of 2015 and 2026! She currently works as a criminal defence lawyer, and is chipping away on more creative projects. Rahman Bashir is a writer, academic, planner and designer. He hasserved as the president for both the Sudanese Society in New Zealand for two terms and the regional African body in Tamaki, African Communities Forum Inc, ACOFI and is currently a Principal Specialist for Auckland council. Writing, both poetry and prose has been integral to how he’s been able to orient and navigate how we serves and leads in community. 📅 Saturday 15th August, 1pm 📍 Herald Theatre, Auckland Live 🎟️ $5/$10 link in bio!

SUP South is back at Youthline Manukau with two incredible features! STELLAR & MATILDA 💐🙌🏽 Stand Up Poetry Open Mic nights make spoken word poetry relevant and accessible by providing a public platform for emerging spoken word poets. Features: Matilda Clack is a poet and teacher at Manurewa High School. A Word-Up runner up and Word-The Front Line finalist during her final year of high school, Matilda has been involved in coaching, facilitating, judging and performing poetry since. She is a two-time JAFA Regional Finalist and a Trans-Tasman Poetry Slam Champion, and passionate about empowering our rangatahi through self-expression and education. Stellar Aigalefili Makarita Pritchard is a Spoken word poet, author, and actress. She has competed in many slams: a winner of Jafa slam 2019, a word the Frontline finalist, the winner of word up 2019 and was apart of an award winning poetry collection - Pacific Navigators, appeared in Shortland Street as Nova Galaxy and a Coach of WTF Open mic is open to all styles, ages and backgrounds. Bring a poem, verse or just yourself! FREE - Sign up on the day. This is an uncensored space but hate speech free. #actioned #SUP

ARA TOI IS HERE! We want to invite you to be part of something we are really excited about. Action Ed is running Ara Toi in 2026 - a free, four-month programme created for rangatahi - young people aged 18–24 who are ready to back themselves and take the next step in their career or creative journey. We built this programme because we know that getting into work as an artist is not just about having the right skills on paper. It is about knowing who you are, having the right support around you, and feeling ready. That is exactly what this programme is designed to do. Open to all artistic forms, not strictly for poets. Please get in contact for our info pack for more details. If you know rangatahi who might be a great fit, TAG EM! And of course, if you have any questions at all, just reach out - we'd love to hear from you. 🎨: @arihunnid Be in quick, only 30 spots are available. DO NOT SLEEP! #actioned #aratoi

t’s that time of year already! The fiercest poetry competition in Aotearoa is back in Tāmaki Makaurau! More than a poetry slam, Word - The Front Line is a community of leaders, storytellers, and changemakers from across the city that gather to connect and celebrate each other in a poetic battlefield unlike any other. Come along with your whānau and friends to celebrate the top 14 high school teams, across two semifinal heats as they battle for a chance to compete at the Grand Slam. We need to show up for our rangatahi so let’s pack the house out! This year the semifinals will be taking place on two different dates. For you to support your favourite teams, please make sure you read the details carefully. The top 3 schools from each heat will make it to the Grand Slam on Sept. 19th! HEAT 2: Mount Albert Grammar School. Tangaroa College. Diocesan School for Girls. Wesley College. Avondale College. Henderson High School. Alfriston College.

SUP South is back at Youthline Manukau with two incredible features! STELLAR & MATILDA 💐🙌🏽 Stand Up Poetry Open Mic nights make spoken word poetry relevant and accessible by providing a public platform for emerging spoken word poets. Features: Matilda Clack is a poet and teacher at Manurewa High School. A Word-Up runner up and Word-The Front Line finalist during her final year of high school, Matilda has been involved in coaching, facilitating, judging and performing poetry since. She is a two-time JAFA Regional Finalist and a Trans-Tasman Poetry Slam Champion, and passionate about empowering our rangatahi through self-expression and education. Stellar Aigalefili Makarita Pritchard is a Spoken word poet, author, and actress. She has competed in many slams: a winner of Jafa slam 2019, a word the Frontline finalist, the winner of word up 2019 and was apart of an award winning poetry collection - Pacific Navigators, appeared in Shortland Street as Nova Galaxy and a Coach of WTF Open mic is open to all styles, ages and backgrounds. Bring a poem, verse or just yourself! FREE - Sign up on the day. This is an uncensored space but hate speech free. #actioned #SUP

Action Ed Community Spotlight 🔦 Thee one and only! @billy.rmc One of the most gifted young artists of this generation, and an absolute top lad. Holding it down at Action Ed while Ken is overseas with whānau! We are so lucky to have you join us brother, GIVE IT UP FOR BILLY! Fav poet: "Jai" @tutira.jaina.iwi 🐐 Highlight of your '26 so far: "Slam Camps & Open Mics" Word of advice: "Always write whatever’s on your mind! Not every poem needs to make it out of the notes app." #AE #spotlight #community

AMPED FOR CAMP! Slam Camp 2026 was a TIME! How blessed are we to share these moments with our Word - The Front Line '26 cohort!? Action packed weekend full of workshops, activities, and rangatahi building connections to help carry each other not only through the WORD season, but through life. THANK YOU, POETS! This is always a highlight for us as we witness how you show up and support each other with so much care and respect over such a short time together, and none of this is possible without you. As you prep full steam ahead for Semi-Finals, know that we see you and we got you! GO IN!!! Amazing moments like this, however, truly take a village whom we cannot thank enough ❤️ A big mihi to our staff, coaches, volunteers, and alumni! Having not only a team, but a whanau of passionate youth workers and creatives spanning generations means there is an undoubtable trust and work ethic for us to look out for our young people and each other. Thank you for going above and beyond always! A huge shoutout and thank you to our team of facilitators, especially @villalemanu. We admire and appreciate the commitment to your craft and our young people. We all learnt something crucial for us to improve as both artists and people. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise with us! Shoutout to @melodownz and @deadforest_gg! We got to witness two of Aotearoa's greatest ever! Thank you for inspiring our rangatahi with your experiences and art. Thank you to Peter Snells Youth Village and all their amazing staff for hosting us throughout camp! Thank you to Peniel Fa’amausili and @solephotographynz for capturing these lasting memories so beautifully! Thank you to our teachers for supporting us along the way. And if you are ready for more Word - The Front Line madness.. get your tickets. WE'LL SEE YOU AT SEMIS! #actioned #WTFL

SUP CENTRAL! 🚨 Feat Zech Soakai & Ngaio Simmons A cold night but absolute heaters on the mic, shoutout to all our poets who jumped up to share with us! Thank you @studioone.toitu for hosting and taking good care of our team! And a special mihi to you Zech and Ngaio for showing us the heart of your poetry, absolute STARS! 💐✨️ SEE YOU AT THE NEXT ONE! WHO DO YOU WANT ON THE LINEUP? #actioned #SUP

SUP CENTRAL! 🚨 Feat Zech Soakai & Ngaio Simmons A cold night but absolute heaters on the mic, shoutout to all our poets who jumped up to share with us! Thank you @studioone.toitu for hosting and taking good care of our team! And a special mihi to you Zech and Ngaio for showing us the heart of your poetry, absolute STARS! 💐✨️ SEE YOU AT THE NEXT ONE! WHO DO YOU WANT ON THE LINEUP? #actioned #SUP

It’s that time of year already! The fiercest poetry competition in Aotearoa is back in Tāmaki Makaurau! More than a poetry slam, Word - The Front Line is a community of leaders, storytellers, and changemakers from across the city that gather to connect and celebrate each other in a poetic battlefield unlike any other. Come along with your whānau and friends to celebrate the top 14 high school teams, across two semifinal heats as they battle for a chance to compete at the Grand Slam. We need to show up for our rangatahi so let’s pack the house out! This year the semifinals will be taking place on two different dates. For you to support your favourite teams, please make sure you read the details carefully. The top 3 schools from each heat will make it to the Grand Slam on Sept. 19th! HEAT 1 Marcellin College De La Salle College Dilworth School Manurewa High School Northcote College Selwyn College Zayed College Tickets available at aucklandlive.co.nz! SPREAD THE WORD! GET IN QUICK! #WTFL #actioned

SUP CENTRAL | DOUBLE FEATURE! 🚨 WTFL season is in full swing, so why not hear from two of our 2026 coaches!? 🙌🏽🤩 PULL UP NEXT WEDNESDAY! ZECH Zech Soakai is an award winning poet, curator, researcher, educator & producer. He wrote and released his debut book For All We Know, and is stoked for that little self-published print to have sold 500 copies. Having cut his teeth through legendary stages like Rising Voices, Poetry Idol & Going West, he finds more of his time working at the level of systems-thinking and curriculum designing. Whether a literary festival, classroom or theoretical problem, he continues to ponder how we make more space for ourselves to laugh unabashedly, speak bravely and listen generously NGAIO Ngaio Simmons (Ngāti Porou) is a poet born and raised in the diaspora, currently based in Tāmaki Makaurau. Having placed second in the NZ National Poetry Slam in 2022, Ngaio is also the 2023 Auckland Regional Slam Champion and the University of Auckland Slam Champion for both 2022 and 2023. He is currently working on his first collection of poems. 🗓: August 5th ⏰️: 7pm Start 📍: @studioone.toitu 💵: FREE! Open mic sign ups on the day! #actioned #SUP #openmic

With deep gratitude, ngā mihi nui ki a Creative New Zealand 🙏 We're so grateful to share that we've received funding support over 3 years from @creativenz, helping us continue our mahi across all of our programmes, using spoken word poetry to support rangatahi across Aotearoa to find their voice, tell their stories, and grow. If you have ever been to anything Action Ed has curated, you know can expect to see us running it up again! This support means our kaupapa can keep reaching more rangatahi, whānau, and communities. Ngā mihi mahana for backing the work we do 💛 Captured by @solephotographynz #CreativeNZ #SpokenWord #Rangatahi #ActionEducation

He Reo Rangatahi '26! Our 2026 cohort for HRR popped off this year! Spending a whole day with our Action Ed team smashing through a spoken word poetry intensive which saw these rangatahi fine tune their craft and develop their voice and performance as poets. Not only did they speedrun an intensive, but they also had the opportunity to slam with a piece they have been working on at the end of the evening! Congratulations to our slam winner, Milan from Ngā Puna o Waiōrea, and to all our poets who got up on the mic to spit their truth. We cannot wait to see you all again. Special shoutout to @solephotographynz for capturing these moments for us! That's a wrap! See you in 2027!? 👀 #actioned

Kohinga Whetū ✨️ Papakura showed OUT for our Matariki showcase! Such a dope night with everyone on the lineup throwing absolute haymakers on the mic 🎤🔥 thank you poets for stepping up and smashing it! Special shouout to the Papakura Museum, and Papakura Local Board for partnering with us to make this night happen, here's to many more! Mānawatia a Matariki #actioned

Just over a month ago, a giant in our poetry community, someone who exemplified what it means to be a Kaiako (teacher), and a dear friend to Action Ed passed away after a short but intense battle with metastasised cancer. Isaac Thomas or Mr Thomas as he was better known, was an incredible poet and teacher who championed poetry at McAuley High School as a pillar in their English department. It was the McAuley team he assembled in 2014 that won the inaugural Word the Frontline Poetry Slam 12 years ago, another example of the sort of legacy he leaves behind. Not just a teacher, Mr Thomas was also an active advocate and member of the community, sharing powerful words, a staunch supporter of his Akonga and writer of the most hysterical facebook posts. He was a huge supporter of the arts and professional development within the English Curriculum. While we are saddened by his passing, we hold joy in knowing we can honour his legacy through poetry. You will be missed but never forgotten Mr Thomas. Moe mai rā e kare

We’d like to say a MASSIVE nga mihi nui, faafetai tele lava, mālō ‘aupito to @nzate_english_association for having us to both present and be participants in this years 2026 Conference: Oceans of understanding, tides of inspiration! The whole conference so aptly fit the spirit of this years theme and left us feeling inspired to remain steadfast in our conviction towards empowering youth voice through the awesome art of spoken word poetry. Eric enjoyed the keynotes speeches and workshops so much he’s been rocking the tote bag from the conference this week, and is excited to start reading Falstaff Dowling-Mitchell’s books as he continues to process the gems that he collected from the conference around how to better utilise poetry in the classroom, and the importance of writing as a transformative tool! Thank you to all the amazing English teachers who were part of our workshop ‘Turning Tides - SAY IT HOW YOU KNOW IT - A Samoan and Tongan Spoken Word Resource’, Action Ed would not be the amazing organisation it is today without the support of our courageous English teachers standing firmly in the face of these intense, but changing tides. See y’all at the next one!

THROWBACK! Rā Toikupu 2026! ✨️ A few weeks ago we brought together the 14 teams who advanced from our regional heats for WORD – The Front Line 2026 to kick of the road to semi finals! This day is centred around whakawhanaungatanga - bringing together our young people through poetry, kai, and workshops. It is a stepping stone as they journey through WORD and begin to find their feet within their artistry and we are so excited for whats to come. We have a village to thank who made this all possible! A big mihi to @tepueamarae for hosting us. We are so grateful to continue to be in your beautiful space after so long and experience your Manaakitanga again! THE RENO IS AWNN! Ngā mihi nui for taking care of us and our tauira! Another big thank you to Peniel Fa’amausilii and @solephotographynz for capturing these beautiful memories for our WORD whanau. Thank you DJ Nualān @lu_ani02 for spinning the decks all day, too nice with it uso. To our coaches, guest performers, and staff – thank you for continuing to show up for our rangatahi and us, lets make this year another banger. To our teachers – thank you for all your hard mahi, everyday! The support we have from you does not go unnoticed and a we are ever grateful for your incredible work. A special mihi and mention to Whaea Alice for her incredible leadership helping to guide our waka through her position on our board and supporting us in person on the day. Thank you so much to our poets for creating this experience with your truths and creativity. A huge shout out and thank you to the generous support from Auckland Regional Arts and Culture, Creative New Zealand and Foundation North. #SEEYOUATSEMIS!

MĀNAWATIA A MATARIKI! ✨️ Nau mai, haere mai ki Kohinga Whetū: A Matariki Poetry Showcase In collaboration with @papakuramuseum, Action Ed are stoked to present Kohinga Whetū! Join us as we celebrate Matariki and bring in the new year with a night of Spoken Word Poetry from some of Tamaki Makarau's shining stars of poetry. We have a stellar line up for you all to enjoy so bring the whanau, settle in, and get your finger snaps ready! Featuring: @sheldonrua_ @arihunnid @kate.laughter @tutira.jaina.iwi @patuatewhakamaa @rehekorero Strictly limited seats, to secure your free ticket book through the Papakura Museum you can email curator@papakuramuseum.org.nz or phone 092982003. Mauri ora! #matariki

He Reo Rangatahi Poetry Slam & Open Mic Join us from 5:30pm at the Fickling Convention Centre for our amazing He Reo Rangatahi Open Mic & Slam! The event will start with open mic, where poets from all across Tamaki Makaurau will have the chance to share their poetry in a youth-friendly space, before transitioning into Action Ed's He Reo Rangtahi Slam, where students from different schools across the region will battle it out after a full day of workshops to see who will come out as He Reo Rangatahi Slam Champion 2026. 🗓️ Tuesday 7th July ⏰ 5:30pm 📍 546 Mount Albert Road, Three Kings, Auckland 1042 💵 FREE Sign up on the day! #actioned

SUP OPEN MIC W THEE ONE AND ONLY!!!! When we tell you we are satttttt for this feature.. WE MEAN IT 😭🫶🏽 Please show some love to Talia 🌺 Talia Stanley (she/they) is a disabled Samoan youth development worker, writer, and spoken word artist from Tāmaki Makaurau. She is the 2024 New Zealand Poetry Slam Champion and has over 12 years of experience in the arts and community sector. She is a board member of The 09 Poetry Slam and works for The D*List as their Community Development Lead. Talia believes by supporting and amplifying community voices and stories, we can create meaningful and positive change. 🗓️ Wednesday 3rd June ⏰ 7pm 📍 Youthline Manukau, 145 Saint George Street, Papatoetoe 💵 FREE Sign up on the night for the open mic 🎤

IT'S BACK! Our He Reo Rangatahi programme is back for round two! This is a spoken word incubator programme with a one-day poetry event and SLAM! With workshops led by Aoteroa’s leading poets and artists, and only participants from He Reo Rangatahi are invited to enter. An incredible opportunity to hone your craft, amplify your voice, receive quality mentoring and many platforms to flex your pen and rock the mic. We will be releasing the full programme with details soon so stay posted! In no particular order the schools we are inviting onto this programme are as follows: Glendowie College A/B Alfriston College B Diocesan School for Girls A Ormiston Junior College Ngā Puna o Waiōrea Northcote College B McAuley High School Henderson High School B Marcellin College A Wesley College B Mount Albert Grammar School A Epsom Girls Grammar School Rosmini College #actioned #HRR

IT'S BACK! Our He Reo Rangatahi programme is back for round two! This is a spoken word incubator programme with a one-day poetry event and SLAM! With workshops led by Aoteroa’s leading poets and artists, and only participants from He Reo Rangatahi are invited to enter. An incredible opportunity to hone your craft, amplify your voice, receive quality mentoring and many platforms to flex your pen and rock the mic. We will be releasing the full programme with details soon so stay posted! In no particular order the schools we are inviting onto this programme are as follows: Glendowie College A/B Alfriston College B Diocesan School for Girls A Ormiston Junior College Ngā Puna o Waiōrea Northcote College B McAuley High School Henderson High School B Alfriston College B Marcellin College A Wesley College B Mount Albert Grammar School A Epsom Girls Grammar School Rosmini College #actioned #HRR

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