Andre Afamasaga (he/him) is Samoan (villages: Afega, Fasito’otai) and was born in Aotearoa New Zealand.  

He works at the New Zealand Human Rights Commission as Group Manager of the Advisory, Research, Engagement, and Conversion Practices response teams. Previously, he was an advisor to New Zealand’s Race Relations and Chief Human Rights Commissioners.  

In 2019, after 11 years as church pastor in Australia and New Zealand, he came out as gay in a column in the Sydney Morning Herald . This was prompted by his concern for young people in Pacific and Christian communities during a period of intense public debate, and ensuing homophobic sentiment.   

He also a survivor of more than 15+ years of conversion practices. This lived experience helped inform his work on the development of the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Act 2022. After the law passed, he also led the establishment of the Human Rights Commission’s civil redress response scheme (complaints service) for people experiencing conversion practices.  

He is a passionate bridge-builder for family, religious and cultural settings to be inclusive and safe places for Rainbow+/ MVPFAFF+ people in NZ, Australia, and Pacific diasporic communities globally.