Asher Shah — Bachelor of Design Innovation and Space Science — Victoria University of Wellington

Asher is a young non-binary activist with a love for science and the arts. They attended Albany Senior High School where they created and carried out a national campaign to fight for the rights of young gender diverse students. They petitioned the government to provide funding to all schools for the construction of gender neutral bathrooms. They carried the campaign on for 2 years, partnering with InsideOUT along the way, as well as gaining support from MPs Shannan Halbert, Chloe Swarbrick, and Dr Elizabeth Kerekere. The petition Asher created gained 1310 signatures before they presented the petition at parliament.

Asher was also chosen to be leader of the schools rainbow group, the Sexuality and Gender Acceptance group, SAGA. As leader, Asher worked to create a safe space for queer students, act as liaison between students and faculty when needed, provide advice to the principal on better inclusionary practices the school could engage with, and provide education to the wider school.

Asher is going on to study a Bachelor of Design Innovation majoring in animation, and in space science as a way to combine their love of science and art in a unique way.