Jenny Janif: Sprinkling Empathy

In this conversation (recorded in April 2025) , Jenny and I reflect on humility, human rights, and migration while reckoning with colonial pasts and the complexities of our present realities. We explore how race, ethnicity, gender, and dominant narratives shape experiences for people of colour, and why telling our own stories and knowing our histories matters. Together, we consider the difference between sympathy and empathy, what it means to enter someone else’s world, and how connecting physically, emotionally, and spiritually can foster respectful spaces for dialogue. Guided by the belief in Nelson Mandela’s words that Jenny brought to this conversation, “Our human compassion binds us the one to the other - not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future”, this episode invites listeners to imagine new possibilities for sprinkling representation, empathy, solidarity, and peace. For a sneak peek into Jenny’s inspiring journey, read about her prestigious award and mahi with E Tū Whānau: Prestigious award for E Tū Whānau kaimahi Jenny Janif Remember, in a world where discord echoes loudly, let empathy be our pluriversal language!