Pushing the limits and making their voices heard, we’re all about these category finalists.
Our Miss FQ Influence Awards ‘Disruptor’ category finalists know a thing or two about shaking it up and are not shy about standing up for what they believe in to make a change within their respective industry or the social issue they’re campaigning for.
Whether it’s launching a petition, fronting a protest, starting a new brand or e-commerce platform or reviewing food in a fresh and unexpected way, every single one of these finalists have totally caught our attention this year in all the right ways.
Scroll to see your finalists as nominated by YOU, who have not been afraid to disrupt in order to enact change:
PANIA NEWTON
@panianewton
Pania, a lawyer and activist, has been the public face behind SOUL (Save Our Unique Landscape) which has spearheaded the Protect Ihumātao campaign since 2016. She has worked closely with her whenua and local community to peacefully protest the land occupation at Ihumātao, taking on the New Zealand government and Auckland Council and bringing the issue into the public eye with her articulate and determined manner.
ALBERT CHO
@eatlitfood
If you haven’t heard of the mastermind behind the cult foodie Instagram account Eat Lit Food, then where have you been? Giving everyone across the nation #foodenvy (and a few gasps and giggles) with his snaps and unabashed reviewing style, we probably wouldn’t trust a restaurant if he didn’t…
GRACE STRATTON
@allisforall
Grace is a co-founder of accessibility project All is For All which aims to create an inclusive space in the fashion industry for those with disabilities. She was also nominated for New Zealander of the Year in 2017 and shows no signs of slowing.
LAURA HADLOW
@laurahadlow
Laura is a style blogger turned co-founder of fashion label The Post, becoming the first Kiwi influencer to turn her sights (and following) from blogging to driving forward a boutique label and business. The brand aims to curate a wardrobe of basic essentials, facilitating accessible style for young women. She also does styling work on the side and has worked with many brands including Seed Heritage.
NIAMH PEREN
@niamh_peren
Niamh is a creative filmmaker, but she is also the founder of Thumbs Up, which is petitioning to the New Zealand government House of Representatives to introduce compulsory labels on all food and drink packaging in New Zealand, to enable better recycling awareness and reduce unnecessary waste. If you haven’t signed the petition yet, you can do so here.
Stay tuned to see who has taken out their category, announced at an awards evening on September 26 2019.
