Anne Niulesa
Tactile and Technology Literacy Centre (TTLC)
For Anne Niulesa, the morning of 1 January 2017 is one she would rather forget. Far from celebratory, the dawning of the new year turned Anne's life upside-down when she awoke to find she couldn't see. Those first few hours of panic and upheaval will forever remain etched in Anne's memory, and it was during this time–and the months that followed–that she drew upon the two things most important to her to help her transition to a life without vision: her faith, and her family.
Anne and her siblings were born and raised in New Zealand. Her parents emigrated from Samoa and instilled in their family the importance of their Samoan culture and heritage. Culture is foundational for Anne, and you would often find her chairing meetings, doing presentations or organising extravagant productions with youth groups at cultural events and activities. An avid music lover, Anne grew up singing rich harmonies with her parents and siblings at church and in the community, leading the Alto section of the choir and playing the horn in a variety of brass bands and orchestras.
Generous with her time and wisdom, Anne served her community with love, compassion and a vibrant sense of humour, often putting the needs of others before her own. Her people skills saw her gain (and excel in) community and corporate leadership positions, nurturing future leaders in the Youth sector and building strong rapport with peers and managers alike. She quickly earned the respect and trust of those around her as she encouraged others to participate to the best of their ability, winning numerous awards and industry accolades for top team performance. So, when it came time to adjust to her new way of living without sight, Anne found it challenging to depend on others for support.
Anne soon realised that her sense of touch needed to become another foundational part of her life as she learned to eat, travel, communicate and perform daily tasks with her other senses. She began learning braille with tactile instructor Chantelle Griffiths and soon discovered that touch could connect her once more with the Bible, help her learn song lyrics and write down her thoughts. Eventually, with much encouragement, she plucked up the courage to join a unique braille music initiative taught by Chantelle and including fellow student David Seevaratnam. It was with the support of this small cohort that her passion for braille and tactile learning was fuelled, as she learned with the group how to read lyrics and musical scores and sing in an ensemble consisting entirely of blind musicians.
The Tactile and Technology Literacy Centre (TTLC) was born when Anne, Chantelle and David applied together to attend the inaugural Possibility Leadership Programme run by the Global Centre of Possibility. As Anne learned more about the lack of engagement and tactile learning support for the Pasifika community, she saw an urgent need to connect more with the Pasifika access community, nurturing and supporting others like herself as she had been nurtured, to increase their awareness of the benefits of learning practical skills and tactile knowledge. Drawing on her strong cultural and community foundation, she found within the programme a close and supportive network of access entrepreneurs all working together for a common goal; to reimagine the status quo and create a society in which access citizens are not only included, but valued for their unique perspectives, contributions and talents.
The Possibility Leadership Programme gave Anne the opportunity to immerse herself in the wider access community for the first time, defining and deeply connecting with her own identity, values and beliefs to build a solid foundation to guide the development of services, pathways and a holistic learning community for TTLC. The concept of designing "with" others in the Possibility framework resonated deeply with Anne's profound wisdom and person-centred approach. With guidance and mentoring from the leadership team and others in the cohort, Anne learned to view her new life through a Possibility lens, applying that new knowledge equally well to ideation, and practical business matters. She challenged herself to use her new tactile and technology skills to actively contribute to all aspects of the programme, and acted as the often-hilarious voice of reason during spirited discussions and fiery debates between her teammates.
Anne's profound journey of exploration and discovery is only just beginning. TTLC and the Possibility Leadership Programme have given her the tools and confidence to step out into the world with renewed hope. Now more comfortable to speak about her access journey, Anne opens hearts and changes lives with her story, introducing others to the sense of touch with warmth and vitality. Thanks to the Possibility framework and surrounded by a solid network of friends and visionaries like herself, Anne is now able to greet the dawning of this new phase with optimism, enthusiasm and grace.