Brya Ingram
In its 20-year history, no one had ever used sign language at the Race Unity Speech Awards. That is, until Tamara Livingstone took to the stage.
A Year 11 student from Marlborough Girls' College stood out at the recent Race Unity Speech Awards, as being the only student in the awards’ 20-year history to use sign language in her speech.
Tamara Livingstone performed her speech at the Manukau Institute of Technology in Auckland alongside students from around the country, to be named one of six finalists in the national final of the awards.
“I think the fact that I was the first they've ever had use sign language is quite interesting, because it is one of our official languages, and they do advertise that you should use Māori and English,” Tamara said.