“Silence isn’t cultural pride – it’s cultural betrayal.”
Those words, first heard at Le Va’s Global Pacific Solutions: GPS 2025 conference, became a call to courage for Pelea Fruean and continue to guide her journey.
Pelea is a young woman who is passionate about the safety and wellbeing of her community. She balances coaching and boxing with her university studies, while also making time for her family and friends. Along with her many commitments, she took on the role of an Atu-Mai Upstander, stepping forward to help prevent violence and create safer spaces for her generation.
What guided her was the hope that by creating space for talanoa, young people would feel less alone and more connected. She wanted to bring into the open the conversations often kept behind closed doors, to break the silence around sensitive topics, and to nurture belonging, courage and the belief that safer futures can be built together.
“My hope was that I could, through my activation, hopefully resonate with someone or make an impact with someone that they’d feel inspired or empowered by the talanoa we were having and hopefully given them hope as well. The same hope I’m sharing to try to make better and safer spaces for our people.”
Being an Upstander with Le Va
For Pelea, the journey was never one she walked alone. Training with Le Va’s Atu-Mai team gave her the confidence, tools and support to carry her activation safely. She describes the Upstander programme as a community of encouragement that helped her step into leadership. The training taught her not just how to mobilise, but how to do so in ways that are safe. It gave her practical skills she could use with youth, as well as personal insights that strengthened her own relationships at home, in sport and at university.
Stepping out at Polyfest
“Some youth feel like they’re alone. I wanted to show them their voices matter, and that they can be leaders too.”
Pelea’s first major activation as an Upstander came at ASB Polyfest 2025, the world’s largest Pacific festival. With more than 80,000 people attending across four days, she knew it was the right place to begin.
In just one day, she spoke with more than 30 young people. Their honesty and openness reminded her why creating space for youth voice matters.
For Pelea, this was not only about encouraging young people to speak, it was about showing them that they already carry leadership within them. By stepping up herself, she was modelling courage for her peers and proving that change doesn’t have to wait for age, title or position.
“Just how engaged the youth were, and how willing they were to participate in the talanoa with youth and seeing that they want a better future for themselves.”
Using her voice at GPS 2025
“All you need is some planning, a bit of support and the heart to do it.”
Not long after Polyfest, Pelea joined the Fonua to Moana youth panel at Le Va’s Global Pacific Solutions conference. Being surrounded by leaders and changemakers encouraged her to speak up and share her perspective.
She realised that leadership isn’t about holding a title, it’s about being willing to step forward and to ask the questions that need to be asked, especially when it comes to things like respectful relationships and violence prevention. Although it felt daunting, the experience confirmed for Pelea the importance of speaking up.
Learnings from her journey
Creating safe spaces
“It’s the silence I’m aware of and the youth… the issues I know we’re dealing with behind closed doors. I want to create a safe space for our younger generation to grow up in.”
At Polyfest and GPS 2025, Pelea saw how much young people wanted to talk when given the chance. They shared openly about their experiences and their hopes for the future. She realised it wasn’t about forcing conversations, but about creating an environment where youth felt safe and supported to speak.
Speaking with care
“It’s not the words we use, it’s how we use them. Being careful, making it cultural, and making sure it’s safe as well.”
GPS 2025 reminded Pelea that words carry weight. She came to see that raising issues is important, but the way you frame them matters just as much. By being careful, thoughtful, and keeping things cultural and safe, she found that people were more willing to share.
Looking back
“Even if you doubt yourself, don’t. Anyone can be an Upstander.”
Reflecting on her journey, Pelea describes herself as an ordinary young woman who chose to make a difference.
“The training gave me the tools to mobilise safely. It’s even helped me in my own relationships and at work.”
Her encouragement to others is that anyone can step forward to create safer spaces in their community.
From the vast crowds of Polyfest to the conference stage at GPS 2025, Pelea’s journey shows how everyday courage can ripple through whole communities. By creating spaces where young people feel seen, heard and valued, she strengthens the pathways of hope, leadership and connection that protect future generations.
Her story is also part of something bigger. Ordinary young leaders like Pelea are helping to shift cultural norms, turning silence into talanoa, isolation into belonging, and fear into courage.
Guided by the Pasifika values of love, respect and service, Pelea’s journey reminds us that choosing to speak out is an act of love, it is a gift for those who come after us.
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