Activist Brianna Fruean awarded prestigious ‘Global Citizen Prize'
by Mariner Fagaiava-Muller
The Samoan/Tokelauan 23-year-old is the first Pacific person to be presented with the award, which has previously honoured the likes of Elton John and Warren Buffett.
The Global Citizen Prize recognises unsung activists in communities across the world, whose efforts towards social change are proven and diligent.
Fruean is among eight changemakers from each continent.
She has contributed several years in the organisation and leadership of climate change activism within the Pacific. At 16, she became the youngest winner of the Commonwealth Youth Award for her contributions to environmentalism.
She currently sits on the Pacific Climate Warriors’ council of elders and its youth representative.
Fruean, also a digital producer for TheCoconetTV and FreshTV, was nominated by executive producer Lisa Taouma.
“I didn’t even know about it,” Fruean says.
“I just got told one day to keep my phone off silent, and there might be a call coming my way. I didn’t expect it at all.”
“The first time I heard about it was in a [work] meeting and [Lisa] announced it. So surreal, then everyone started singing ‘ua fa’afetai’!”
Always one to think of others, Fruean highlights the award isn’t just hers.
“It means so much to me, not as an individual but someone who’s part of the collective,” she says. “There was so much work that was done before me in order to be in the climate space.”
Although she was notified some time ago of her win, only today was it announced by the award’s organisers.
A lot of love has come her way already, Fruean says.
“I wouldn’t be winning this award without the woman who nominated me, and it’s not lost on me that she’s a Samoan woman who is very passionate about having our stories told by us.”
"There’s so many people like her in my life, it really honours them.”
Fruean first became involved with climate justice at only 11-years-old. She has gone on to sit at many a table, inserting the Pacific’s name into conversation.
“There’s so many people I would like to thank, almost everyone I’ve ever met.”
“Anybody who’s made it possible for me, from buying my 2 talā lemonades when we were doing fundraising at the start of our environmental group, to people today teaching me things I never knew about this space.”
She acknowledges not all Pacific youth are afforded the same support to lead as she was by her family and peers, but she advises them to stay the course.
She says: “I’m not a one in a million type of person, there’s so many other girls like me in the Pacific who care deeply about their islands, their environment.”
“A lot of the time, very opinionated young girls often in Pacific spaces, feel like and I’ve experienced it, the need to shrink ourselves.”
“Believe in the space you’re meant to take up and that’ll only serve you as you grow up.”
Fruean will in a few days time travel to New York, where she and the other Global Citizen Prize winners will be celebrated at an intimate gala dinner.
Meeting policymakers and donors from the US will be really important in the lead-up to COP this year, she says.
“When people with lots of money wanted to donate to a cause, a lot of their minds would go to poverty or building homes in certain places in the world - which is all important.”
“But I think some of that resourcing also needs to go to climate change, because the climate crisis will only make those things so much worse.”
“I’m excited for the kaupapa I get to go and serve,” she adds.
“[The award] is the cherry on top, but not the base of the meal.”
The Global Citizen Prize awards ceremony will be streamed on YouTube and Twitter on 2 June, 12pm ET and 3 June, 4am NZST.
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