Mele Tonga-Grant is a New Zealand-born Tongan writer and creative from Te Awa Kairangi, Aotearoa. Raised in a family culturally grounded in Tongan arts, Mele is passionate about preserving and celebrating her heritage. With a background in library services, she enjoyed conducting preschool storytime sessions and translating Tongan language picture books to share stories of her culture with younger generations.