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.
Ilknur Ozbal
Youth leader
Ilknur joined the Youth Leader programme in early 2019. When she's not busy focusing on her Year 13 studies at Waitakere College you'll find her keeping active through playing sports and going to the gym. She is also interested in promoting the value diversity and encouraging people to be happy with their differences.
Younis Ahmat Abdallah
Youth leader
Younis Ahmat Abdallah has been part of the Mixit family for 3 years, and joined our Youth Leadership programme in 2018. He is currently in Year 13 at Mangere College, and also studies Building at MIT. When he finishes school he hopes to become a builder and actor.
Faizan Loun
Youth leader
Faizan started coming to Mixit in 2019, and was recently appointed as a Junior Youth Leader. He is excited to learn new things, work with the Mixit team and to have fun with his fellow Youth Leaders. He says " When i come here, whatever is intense or unhappy, I let it all out. Everyone enjoys what they are doing and we are all friends at Mixit. I e...
Team
Shari Lett
Project Manager
Shari Lett is an educator, curator and project manager who is committed to creating meaningful connections between people and the arts. Prior to relocating to Tāmaki Makaurau in 2018, she was an Assistant Education Coordinator, Indigenous Programmes at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, before going on to become their Archivist of Aboriginal and T...
Tahi-Mapp Borren
Programme Leader
Tahi has a BA in Anthropology and Theatre from Victoria University and went on to graduate from Toi Whakaari (NZ Drama School) in 2003. Since then Tahi has devised and performed her own solo works and collaborated professionally in a range of new NZ Theatre. Her work includes directing and dramaturgy, for theatre and multi-disciplinary performance....
Nicole Beer
Financial Manager
Nicole joined the team to both hold and develop our Financial Management needs. She brings an extensive background of accounting and financial know-how supporting a wide range of community and charitable organisations including Tuilaepa Youth Mentoring (who mentor Pacifica youth at risk), Hibiscus Hospice and the YES Disability Centre. She has also...
Board members
Kaviesha Abeysinghe
Trustee
Kaviesha joined Mixit as a teenager before becoming a part of the Youth Leadership Programme. More recently she has become an active member of the Alumni, co-facilitating Mixit workshops in schools and in other regions around NZ. She is currently studying to be a Primary school teacher, after graduating with a Science degree and working in a labor...
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...
Tayyaba Akram Khan
Trustee
Tayyaba Khan is the founder of Khadija Leadership Network, the NZ Peace Ambassador for the European Muslim League, and a community development practitioner with over 15 years of experience working with the migrant and refugee communities in The Occupied Territories of Palestine, Australia, United Kingdom and New Zealand. She has an association wit...
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.
Oscar Arnold
Alumni squad
Oscar comes from a performing arts family, who discovered Mixit at one of our outdoor site-specific performance events. Oscar immediately jumped in with his irrepressible brand of enthusiastic energy and willingness. He’s always ready to leap into any creative direction – be it dance, acting or music. It’s not if he will jump but simply how high an...
Izadine Ahmed Abdallah
Alumni squad
Izadine joined Mixit as a teenager who was shy and un-confident but wanted to find positive ways to step up in his life. Mixit gave him the platform to find his voice and he quickly started to fly. He’s a great ambassador for Mixit, always encouraging other young people to come along and join the crew. Izadine loves Spoken Word Poetry and is always...
Munashe Tapfuya
Alumni squad
Munashe was brought along to Mixit when she was mid-way through a Performing Arts Degree. She immediately felt at home and recognised this could be her new fam. A performer and singer who loves music and dance, Munashe has performed on both stage and screen. She has also branched out and developed some business skills and is interested in growing t...
Selected guest artists
Andi Crowne:
Photographer
Yair Katz:
Musician
Tawanda Manyimo:
Theatre Director & Performer
Daniel Ortiz Rodreiguez:
Composer & Musician
Tama Jarman:
Theatre Director & Performer
Ben Crowder:
Actor
Sparrow Phillips:
Artist
Chris Graham:
Theatre Director & Performer
Sarah-Jane Blake:
Visual Installation & Designer
Paulo Rotondo:
Director & Writer
Eve Gordon & Dust Palace:
Performers & Aerial Acrobats
Justin Haiu:
Choreographer & Performer
Ella Becroft:
Photographer & Graphic Designer
Gaby Thomas:
Choreographer & Performer
Elijah Kennar:
Choreographer & Performer
Mel Bailey aka Kloos:
Performer & Musician
Bert Van Dijk:
Theatre Director & Performer
Jahra Wasasala:
Multi-Disciplinary Artist
Megan Bardsley:
Graphic Designer
Katy Burton:
Choreographer & Performer
Eddie Elliott:
Choreographer & Performer
Margaret-Mary Hollins:
Theatre Director & Performer
Ilai Amar:
Film maker
Emily Carter & Natalie Keane:
Costume Stylists
Ebon Grayman:
Performer & Aerial Acrobat
Mike & Bronwyn Baker:
Ariel Acrobats & Circus Tutors
Moss Patterson:
Choreographer
Malia Johnston:
Choreographer & Director
Alexander Holloway:
Stage Combat
Chris Jannides:
Choreographer & Director
Katy Parker:
Visual Theatre Artist
Ahi Kahrunahran:
Theatre Director
Felix Becroft:
Performer & Musician
Chris O’Connor:
Composer & Musician
Helen Todd:
Lighting Designer
Muhammad Ali Kanwal:
Musician & Performer
Don McGlashan:
Composer & Musician
Bianca Hyslop:
Choreographer & Performer
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 now.
We are a charitable trust. The best way to support Mixit is with a regular donation to help fund our work. Donations to Mixit are tax deductible.
Make a regular donation, a one off donation, or get in touch to talk about taking a more personalised approach such as contributing to a specific project, donating your time, or making a large one-off donation.
Or set up a regular donation through One Percent Collective
