A New Office, A New Horizon for Tapasā

Co-founders Kayla and Ruta

For the past few years, Tapasā has been like a vaka navigating uncharted waters—built on passion, guided by purpose, and propelled by the deep currents of service to our Pacific communities. Now, we are stepping into a new chapter—one where our heart work is also our full-time work.

As co-founders, Ruta Tonumaivao (Executive Director) and Kayla Fatima Schwalger (Creative Director) have taken the bold leap to dedicate themselves fully to Tapasā, steering it towards even greater impact. This milestone reflects a growing tide of belief that community-led work should be resourced, sustained, and woven into the fabric of the spaces we call home.

And now, we have a home of our own. On February 10, we anchored ourselves at 545 Don Buck Road, within the co-shared Sport Waitākere office space at the YMCA building. More than just an address, this space is our moana hub—a place where our people can gather, collaborate, and weave their own journeys of growth and transformation. Many of our programs will now be run from this space, creating a steady vaka for Pacific youth, leaders, and changemakers to chart their own courses.

For us, this journey has always been about more than just work—it’s about creating spaces where our people feel seen, valued, and empowered. Having a place to call home means we can do this with even more intention and impact.

Our banner placed inside the office

With a dedicated space and full-time leadership, Tapasā is ready to harness the winds of change, ride the waves of opportunity, and guide our people toward new horizons. This is just the beginning of our voyage.

We welcome our village to join us—whether through our programs, collaborations, or just to share talanoa in a space built for our people.