About Us: the story behind Create Happy Media
Create Happy Media, the largest youth-operated media outlet (ages 10-24) in Aotearoa, is transforming the media landscape through compassionate journalism. Our digital magazine amplifies young voices, offering diverse perspectives on social issues and inspiring positive change.
We teach the principles of Non-Violent Communication, and our kaupapa is based on teaching a new generation of journalists to unite people through their words rather than divide.
Create Happy Media’s roots are founded in an injustice done to rangatahi at Manurewa High School in South Auckland. The mainstream media robbed them of credit for a viral video of the Rewa All Stars Hip Hop crew’s dance routine. They gave the credit to a crew from Auckland instead of South Auckland. That same week, the media reported on a fight breaking out in the area, highlighting the students in South Auckland. Our students were frustrated with this negative representation and wanted to tell their own stories, not have them told for them. They helped Mandi Lynn co-design Click Happy, a photography programme for youth. In the 2021 cohort of photographers, 3 of the students who were passionate about amplifying youth voice came together and in 2022 began Create Happy Media. They recognised that there was a lack of representation and youth voice in the media, and wanted to do something about it.
Create Happy Media has flourished, hosting two successful Compassionate Journalism Workshop in March 2023 and 2024, featuring talks by renowned media professionals. We are a collaborative effort with over 50 active young journalists (ages 10-20) under the Every Body is a Treasure Charitable Trust.
With 250 published articles, Create Happy Media aims to evolve from a digital to a hybrid print and digital magazine. Our goals include securing advertising capital for printing costs, and expanding our online presence into a blog for better reach.
Create Happy Magazine Leadership Board
![110 110](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/110-scaled.jpg)
Briana Taylor
Co-Founder Sub-Editor
17
![114 114](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/114-scaled.jpg)
Ella Sage
Assistant Editor
18
![125 125](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/125-scaled.jpg)
Sage Garrett
Co-Editor
18
![Create Happy Instagram Create Happy Instagram](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Create-Happy-Instagram.png)
Cassie Taulelei
Co-Editor
17
![Create Happy Instagram (3) Create Happy Instagram (3)](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Create-Happy-Instagram-3.png)
Sylvie Macfarlane
Assistant Editor
16
![Our Founders (1) Our Founders (1)](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Our-Founders-1.png)
Lily Sang
Co-Founder & Sub-Editor
16
![109 109](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/109-scaled.jpg)
Lola Fisher
Co-Founder & CEO
15
![111 111](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/111-scaled.jpg)
Leisha Hodgson
Co-Founder & COO
13
![Our Founders (3) Our Founders (3)](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Our-Founders-3-scaled.jpg)
Mandi Lynn
Mentor & Co-Founder
Token GenX
![Create Happy Instagram - 87 Create Happy Instagram - 87](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Create-Happy-Instagram-87.png)
Aarthi Candadai
Podcast Host
17
![60 60](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/60.png)
Audrey Goh
Graphic Design Lead
16
![112 112](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/112-scaled.jpg)
Abigail Street
Art Director
15
Create Happy Magazine Journalists
![89 89](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/89.png)
Aotea Taylor
Journalist
20
![116 116](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/116-scaled.jpg)
Emily Woodbridge
Journalist
14
![51 51](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/51-1.png)
Sophie Hansen
Co-Founder & Journalist
15
![161 161](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/161-scaled.jpg)
Annabelle Waters
Artist
15
![Create Happy Instagram Create Happy Instagram](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Create-Happy-Instagram-scaled.jpg)
Zoe Dzapasi
Journalist
17
![Create Happy Instagram - 102 Create Happy Instagram - 102](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2E0C54D3-7EBC-40EF-9422-8852D7949489-scaled.jpeg)
Nina Zink
Journalist
16
![126 126](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/126-scaled.jpg)
Amira Stephenson
Journalist
17
![56 56](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/56.png)
Lindsey Song
Artist
15
![159 159](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/159-scaled.jpg)
Bella Bridson
Journalist
15
![160 160](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/160-scaled.jpg)
Ariel Sajan
Journalist
16
![115 115](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/115-scaled.jpg)
Rutendo Shadaya
Journalist
16
![101 101](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/101-scaled.jpg)
Isla Galbraith
Journalist
14
![100 100](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/100-scaled.jpg)
Mackenzie Ha
Journalist
13
![Our Founders (4) Our Founders (4)](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Our-Founders-4-scaled.jpg)
Ella Mooney
Assistant Editor
15
![Create Happy Instagram - 101 Create Happy Instagram - 101](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/07A902E9-D4CB-44DC-B165-47E8B4A6A193-scaled.jpeg)
Santeria Healey-Stevens
Journalist
12
![Create Happy Instagram (1) Create Happy Instagram (1)](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Create-Happy-Instagram-1-scaled.jpg)
Nistha Dev
Journalist
18
![102 102](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/102-scaled.jpg)
Lily Dutton
Journalist
15
![113 113](https://createhappy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/113-scaled.jpg)
Holly Davies
Journalist
18