Young law graduate fights for fair pay

One of the most anxiety-inducing questions Nina Santos faced during her tenure as a law and politics student was, 'what kind of lawyer do you want to be?'

It took the Kiwibank Local Hero Medallist and 2023 Young New Zealander of the Year semi-finalist several inspiring mentors, a challenging stint at a law firm, the lived experience of her parents and other fellow migrants, and a propensity for creating positive change and inspiring social justice before she could answer this question with confidence.

"Throughout my time at law school, I often felt a bit unsure because the majority of my friends followed the traditional route of internship, clerkship, and going to a firm," says Nina, who is due to graduate this March and just found out that she's a semi-finalist in the 2023 Young New Zealander of the Year Awards.

"At many points during my law journey, I questioned my path, as did others around me. But now that I can see more of the road ahead, I understand that there are many other ways to use your law degree."

Nina's road has been an impressive one. At only 24, the Filipina-New Zealander and University of Auckland law alumna is using her platform to challenge the status quo and fight for a more inclusive and equitable Aotearoa.

Determined to address rampant gender and ethnic pay gaps, she is the delivery manager for Mind the Gap - a campaign calling for new pay gap transparency legislation. She also sits on the board of The National Council of Women and was named one of the Asia New Zealand Foundation's 25 under 25.

Through her work, she has become a regular speaker and media commentator on pay equity, women's rights and anti-racism. Nina is also a Kiwibank Local Hero Medallist and has been recognised as part of YWCA's 'Y25' – a list of young women under 25 who are trailblazers in their fields.

Nina moved to Auckland from Manila with her mum, dad and brother when she was 14, and as a first-generation migrant, she's driven by her family's experiences of racism and exploitation.

"Often, there is an acceptance among migrant groups that when you move to another country, you have to start from scratch and you kind of just accept the bare minimum. It's a phenomenon that's referred to as 'the grateful migrant effect' where you kind of accept things, such as being paid less, because you're used to not having much back home."

Soon after moving to Aotearoa, Nina watched as her parents encountered unfair treatment in their workplaces.

"I've witnessed my parents go through exploitation with employers and normalise and accept unfair pay," she says.

During her time at law school, Nina was driven by her family's personal experiences, and her honours dissertation explores the root causes that drive migrant pay gaps. In her dissertation, she says the pay gap for migrants of colour goes beyond just bias in the workplace and that it is a manifestation of ongoing racist, colonial and capitalist constructs that shape Aotearoa New Zealand.

"The migrant pay gap will persist until the constructs of colonialism and the system of racial capitalism it imposes are understood and addressed," says Nina.

In Nina's first year of law, she set a goal of working at a particular firm, and towards the end of her degree, she was elated to land an internship there. However, things didn't pan out the way she envisioned.

"I didn't have a great experience. In fact, it was an awakening," she says. "The culture was geared towards overwork, and I realised it wasn't the place for me. Thankfully, halfway through my stint at the law firm, I was recognised in YWCA Auckland's Y25 awards, and got a chance to connect with inspiring wāhine."

Through this experience, Nina met Dellwyn Stuart, the CEO of the YWCA, who was in the early stages of developing Mind the Gap.

"She knew I was finishing my law degree and that I wanted to do impact-driven work. She said, 'I'm thinking of planning something, and I think you would really thrive in this space.' At that time, I wasn't sure what shape it would take, but I knew it was about pay equity and that we would be fighting for legislative reform and pay transparency."

Through her work, Nina has found her calling as a campaigner and is a regular speaker and media commentator on pay equity, women's rights, intersectional gender equity and anti-racism.

"I've learned not to align myself to a role or a job title but rather to focus on my 'why'. Moving forward, I will continue working to create change in the areas of intersectional gender equity, migrant and human rights," says Nina.

"This is the kind of lawyer I want to be, the kind who fights to change the law and uplift marginalised communities."