Pacific Huddle: The lessons, laughs, and love for my people

Summer is officially underway. This year's calendar has something for everyone - from sports, art, music, faith, and food to families and friends enjoying a fun day out and creating lasting memories.

You’re listening to Pacific Huddle, where Pacific athletes and stories take centre field, every Saturday from 7am-10am on 531pi.

If you’ve been a regular listener, you’ll know the voice behind the mic. If this is your first time hearing about it, welcome!

It’s been a whirlwind of a year. I graduated in May, and just a month later, I landed my job at PMN. I had prepared for reporting and writing, but I never imagined I’d be hosting my own sports show.

Since debuting on air in July, I’ve learned so much, especially about what it takes to put a show together every Saturday morning.

It’s been a year of learning, growing, and discovering just how much heart and hustle it takes to bring Pacific stories to the airwaves. Here are my top three reflections from my first year on Pacific Huddle.

Latonya Lole with her parents and siblings after graduating in May with a Bachelor of Communications. Photo/Supplied

Rolling with the punches

You see it on TV and in movies: technical glitches or last-minute mishaps before going live. Well, it’s real, and I’ve lived it.

As someone diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), it probably doesn’t sound like the ideal environment. But ironically, these last-minute curveballs have taught me patience and how to stay calm under pressure.

I had no prior radio experience, so if you’ve listened to even a snippet of the show, thank you for your patience! From dead air to mics not working, talent cancelling last minute, or headphone issues - with all my love - it contributes towards a great comeback story.

A studio microphone. Photo/Jonathan Velasquez/Unsplash

And no, this is not to shame our company’s environment. Our resources work fine! It's just that live radio can be unpredictable.

Some Saturdays have been chaotic, but we always pull through. Learning to adapt on the fly has not only helped me develop skills at work, but it has also translated into other aspects of my life.

As Rocky Balboa says: “It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” For sure, I’ll take that lesson, but just hoping the hits soften a little, Sly!

I have the creative goods, and Pacific Huddle reassures me

Now, I know it might seem like I’m pouring out all my feelings here, but there’s a reason. Throughout my studies, I battled imposter syndrome, questioning whether I was cut out for journalism. I thought landing a job would stop it, but it didn’t.

Despite the daily self-doubt, “you’re not good enough”, “this isn’t valuable”, alongside my faith, Pacific Huddle has contributed greatly towards silencing my self-inflicted critique.

Latonya Lole graduating from Kindergarten in 2007. Photo/Facebook

Being on the radio instead of just writing gives me a different sense of creative freedom that is refreshing and inspiring. I get to connect with incredible people, share their stories, and contribute my own insights on sports. Somehow, it all comes together, leaving me energised and motivated.

Having the autonomy to craft a show that reflects both the interests of listeners and my personality is a privilege I don’t take for granted.

It really is for the people. I love my people

Despite facing these mental barriers, I’m ultimately grateful for my faith and for giving myself the grace to show up every day. Because it’s allowed me to truly understand one of my passions: ‘for the people, by the people’.

And I’m not new to this because at its core, that’s exactly what it’s all about. You ask any Pacific Islander in their profession why they do what they do and more often than not, they’ll say: “We do it for our people”.

Our community is incredibly talented, and being able to share some of that excellence, in some capacity, is really rewarding.

The job isn’t easy. I’ve interned at some of New Zealand’s top newsrooms and seen firsthand the effort it takes to deliver accurate news day in and day out.

Pacific Huddle has reminded me how proud I am of my heritage and how powerful storytelling can be in celebrating our people.

While the show might not be the talk of the town or have won any flashy awards, that’s never been the point for me. Praise has never been how Pacific people measure success.

What it has given me is far greater: a sense of cultural belonging, renewed inspiration for my mahi as we step into the new year, and the understanding that the negative voice will always be there. I just know how to manage it now, and that’s a huge win!

I would like to say that I am really proud of myself, so to the sporting figures I’ve connected with this year for my show, thank you. I hope you felt seen through my writing.

Here’s to more stories, more reflections, and hopefully more time on the airwaves in 2026.