Unpacking the migrant experience: Nina Santos on identity, success, and self-care
Last year, I had the opportunity to interview the mighty Nina Santos. At only 24, Nina’s diverse resume had my jaw on the floor - from being the youngest person working on the Unite Against COVID-19 response team, to becoming a qualified lawyer, she is a powerhouse. She’s basically Olivia Pope. Nina was recently recognised as a Young New Zealander semi-finalist , mainly for her work as the Delivery Manager for the Mind the Gap campaign (striving to close the gender and ethnic pay gap through pay transparency legislation) and eventually our worlds collided through the Ministry for the Environment, where she established the Ministry’s social media platforms.
Our beautiful conversation spanned many topics. Nina shared her experiences growing up in the Philippines, when her father worked overseas to support her family until she (alongside her mum and younger brother) could immigrate with him to Aotearoa New Zealand. We discussed immigration, feeling like an “outsider”, a work ethic born out of wanting to make her parents proud, imposter syndrome, and ultimately realising that one’s identity is more than what they do for work. We even managed to cover some iconic TV shows along the way.
I hope you’ll enjoy our conversation as much as I did.
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Nina: “I’m Nina, but my close friends and family call me Gaby because my middle name is Gabriella. I immigrated from Manila, the capital of the Philippines with my family about nine years ago. The Philippines has one of the highest migration rates in the world, as well as one of the highest remittance rates. Due to our colonial history and ongoing political conflict, life is really difficult for the working class in my country. A significant number of Filipinos seek employment abroad as overseas foreign workers (OFWs) to escape the low wages and limited opportunities in our home country. These OFWs often send remittances back to their families, which play a crucial role in supporting the Philippine economy.
Sadly, Nina shares that for many Filipinos, leaving the Philippines is often viewed as a life goal - and not always by choice. She says the desire to emigrate is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon rooted in the country's socio-economic and political dynamics. The prevailing low wages, limited job opportunities, and income inequality in the Philippines often push people to seek better-paying jobs abroad. Like a lot of Filipino families, Nina’s dad worked overseas. Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) were also known as “modern day heroes”, because these people would go overseas and make money for their family. Nina’s dad worked as a hotelier in Macau and was away a lot of the time. Despite his hard work, it wasn’t possible for the rest of the family to gain citizenship to join him there.
Leaving the Philippines required a certain level of privilege.
Nina: “I remember my first introduction to New Zealand as a kid was the image of cows and green grass. Our only link to New Zealand was that sometimes if we had a bit of extra money, we’d buy New Zealand milk. That’s how you knew you were doing well.”
As a kid, most people Nina knew who were leaving the Philippines were migrating to Canada or the United States, so New Zealand wasn’t even on the radar yet for her family.
Lindsay: “I grew up in Toronto, which is a really multicultural city, and I remember meeting people who would tell me they were living and working in Toronto but their families hadn’t been able to join them yet. They were there setting up businesses, getting a home base established. It really stuck with me how difficult that must’ve been to have your heart split - trying to invest in a new community, but missing your family and your original home all the time. It must’ve been so difficult for your dad.”
Eventually, Nina’s family began researching opportunities in New Zealand and were able to apply for a Silver Fern Visa. After a significant investment of time and money, they were successful.
Nina: “The next challenge was that as a migrant, especially a Brown migrant, your qualifications are not always recognised or accepted. My dad was unable to get a job in Auckland in the hospitality industry, despite having 25 years of experience. Eventually he got a job in a little hotel in Te Anau, Fiordland. A year and a half later, my mum, my little brother, and I followed.”
This was one of the first times in a long time that the family was together as a unit in a permanent way. The family resettled in Auckland in 2013.
Lindsay: “So, just backing up a little - as exciting as it must’ve been to finally be successful in relocating to New Zealand as a family, it must’ve been really conflicting to be leaving the Philippines at that time in your life. I imagine you had friends and extended family and a community that you felt connected to. What was it like to say goodbye to all you’d ever known?”
Nina: “Yeah, leaving the Philippines was one of the saddest moments of my life. When I first heard of the idea to move to New Zealand, I did not want to go. I was like “No, not happening”. All my friends were in the Philippines, my life was there. I was a teenager and perhaps had a classic teenaged response to this. But eventually I realised that my parents were doing this for me and my brother. I needed to step into the role of the big sister.”
Lindsay: “So, it’s 2013, you’re in your early teen years, and now in Auckland. That must’ve been a huge change. Tell me about those early months.”
Nina: “Well, first of all, I was excited to live in a country with four seasons. So that was exciting. But also, that feeling of being an outsider and feeling that you don’t belong was right in your face. And at that time my Filipino accent was way thicker than it is now.”
Nina started school only two days after her flight landed, and it was right in the middle of year 10. Everyone else had a year and a half to get to know each other before she hit the scene.
Nina: “And that’s when I started getting asked, ‘where are you from’, all the time. I really hate that question.”
Lindsay: “I find it really ironic when Pākeha people ask that question. There’s just no awareness of the very recent history in this country, of colonisation, and the fact that they are not indigenous to Aotearoa.”
Nina: “Absolutely. I was feeling like an outsider. But also really wanting to excel in school to make my parents proud. I can’t speak for all migrants, but my parents had sacrificed a lot for me to be here. So I put a huge amount of pressure on myself.”
For the first year and a half, Nina was constantly missing the Philippines. For a long time she would say to herself, “I want to go home.” Home was the Philippines. But over time she began to consider New Zealand as home, too.
It’s an interesting feeling to have two homes. Your original home, and your chosen home.
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Nina: “I’ve come so far from that little Nina that moved to New Zealand in the middle of year 10. That Nina wouldn’t believe what I’m doing now. I’ve developed a lot of confidence over the years. But I’m so thankful that I haven’t lost touch with my Filipino identity. Of course, there are aspects of the culture that I don’t want to pass onto the next generation, but I’m keeping all the good bits.”
Lindsay: “Absolutely! I think every culture and person - intergenerationally - should think critically about what traditions and values they’re passing on, and which should be left behind. And be intentional about it.”
Nina: “Yes. So, because I wanted to make my parents proud - and make myself proud - I took on every opportunity I possibly could. And when they weren’t there, I created them. I pulled up a seat to every table I wanted to be at. I started building my CV in high school by getting involved in leadership and environmental programs. After high school, I decided to pursue a law degree because I’m an idealist who believes that you need to know the system to change the system - and I’m not making this up, I actually wrote that in my application! Also, a little bit because I was obsessed with the show Suits.”
Lindsay: “I absolutely love that - couldn’t agree more about understanding the system. And hey fun fact: Suits was filmed in Toronto! So, what came next?”
Nina: “Well, at 18 years old, I managed to land an internship at the Ministry for the Environment as the youngest intern to date.”
Lindsay: “And this is where our worlds collide!”
Nina: “Yes! It was my first time out on my own, away from my family. I was living in Wellington and exploring everything. The internship was perfect because I wanted an entry point into the public sector, but also I have a passion for environmental policy and climate change. The Philippines is highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, and we’ve lived through those impacts - so this issue is heart work for me. ”
Nina’s internship began at a time when social media for Government departments was really growing. Being quite a straightforward person, she convinced her Manager to give her a shot at setting up the Ministry’s platforms. At the time there was only a limited Facebook page and Twitter profile without much engagement. It’s a pretty impressive feather in her cap, especially considering the following that these accounts now have.
Fast forward a couple years, and Nina is the Delivery Manager for the Mind the Gap campaign, a national campaign advocating for a more equitable Aotearoa New Zealand. This organisation believes that to close our pay gaps, mandatory pay gap reporting is required here in Aotearoa. The specific goal is legislative reform, because the transparency of reporting has proven - in countries where the numbers are reported - to reduce the gap. This role has allowed Nina to marry her legal background with her expertise and passion for social media. Not to mention, she’s a powerful spokesperson.
Nina: “While I can’t speak for the experiences of Māori and Pasifika, I do bring a fresh migrant perspective, and one of a young, migrant Asian woman.”
Importantly, on 11 August 2023, the Government announced their plan to introduce a mandatory gender pay gap reporting system for New Zealand. If drafted and passed, the new law would make it mandatory for businesses with 10+ staff to publicly disclose their gender pay gap.
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Something significant that Nina is trying to unlearn is imposter syndrome. It’s so prominent amongst women and particularly women of colour and migrant women of colour. Migrants are incredible and contribute so much to society but the discrimination that many of these migrants face is horrible.
“You only have to look at the comment section of the NZ Herald on a migrant photo or story to grasp the sentiment towards migrants in this country”, says Nina. “It’s really hard not to internalise that sentiment when I’m constantly told I should just be grateful, because anything I get here is better than what I’d get at home.”
At the same time, Nina is apprehensive about the “model minority myth” and the pressure to portray the image of a “good immigrant”, especially because everyone’s experience is different.
No one should ever be called the “migrant voice” because it’s not a homogenous group, but rather a diverse community with so many different perspectives. And Nina put it best: “All migrants should have a voice, but they need to be heavily amplified”.
What’s better for migrants is better for all. It’s not a zero sum game. Migrants are a part of New Zealand’s social fabric.
Nina: “Migration takes a huge emotional toll. And one final point I want to shed some light on is the plight of my parents. They are first generation immigrants, like myself, but they were tasked with survival. It was very much about putting their heads down, not jeopardising the visas that allowed us to stay in this country, and just doing the work. As their daughter, and the next generation, I have so much privilege I wouldn’t have if it weren’t for their sacrifices. I get to focus on self actualisation, finding things I’m passionate about, going to law school - isn’t it amazing?”
After achieving as much as she has, and passionately advocating for topics as important as these, Nina is realising the importance of self care. Burnout is real. Her brain is her biggest asset, so it’s important to find rest and balance and take time to celebrate the massive wins.
Today, Nina is travelling the world with her partner, Maddy, ticking big things off her bucket list and tasting the foods of the world.
You can follow Nina’s beautiful journey @ninagabriellesantos