Ko Whata-a-rama te maunga,
Ko Waimakariri te awa,
Ko Ngāi Tahu te iwi,
Ko Ngāi Tūāhuriri te hapū,
No Tuahiwi ahau,
Ko Lexie Reuben tōku ingoa
“Kia atawhai ki te iwi” - “care for the people” - Pita Te Hori
Lexie has whakapapa connections all over Te Waipounamu and grew up surrounded by her whānau in Tuahiwi, where she still lives today. The above quote from Pita Te Hori, the first Upoko Rūnanga of Ngāi Tūāhuriri, highlights the values she was raised with and can help explain Lexie’s commitment to working for her hapū, iwi and wider community. It is in her whakapapa; part of who she is.
Much of Lexie’s work experience is based in the iwi, community and funding space and she was drawn to Rātā Foundation because of the organisation’s focus on equity. Lexie believes the role of funders is to work alongside communities to help them develop their own vision and provide the critical piece of funding to enable them to make it happen.