A note from Multicultural Australia CEO, Bill Gamack.

Like so many, I have been moved by the events in the United States since May 25th, 2020 and the killing of George Floyd.

I was deeply disturbed at the senseless killing of an unarmed, handcuffed man whose repeated pleas for help were ignored. The look on the face of the police officer kneeling on his neck will stay with me forever.

When a society’s failings are revealed so gut-wrenchingly there yet remains an opportunity for healing, albeit slow and painful, if people can be united for change. But I have been struck by the lack of public leadership in response to the global demonstrations and protests that have followed George Floyd’s death.

An absence of public leadership in this moment requires all of us to mobilise our personal leadership. We all have a part to play in creating social change and bringing about justice for our fellow human beings who are wronged by enduring racism, prejudice and bigotry.

Here in Australia, I believe we cannot authentically reflect on what is happening in the United States without acknowledging that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and people of colour are targets of systemic and institutional racism.

At Multicultural Australia, our purpose is to foster and celebrate an inclusive society and we are fiercely committed to human rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights reminds us that the recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.

We all have work to do to bring about the free, just and peaceful world we aspire to.

Our individual prejudices, and the institutionalised racism that has become embedded over generations, inhibits the potential of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and people of colour in Australia.

Historically, we have rarely taken a moment to listen to their voices and to understand the impact of racism on their lives.

They carry the burden of our privilege, our ignorance, and our arrogance when we fail to acknowledge their experience, to empathise, and to continue taking the necessary steps along the walk toward change.

We must continue to excavate, acknowledge and redress racism personally, professionally and politically.

No longer must any one of us be a passive bystander to the systemic and entrenched racism that exists in our society just because we believe we aren’t personally racist. That has never been good enough. It is now inexcusable.

Let’s just start with a simple step. Let’s reflect on the human family and let’s treat all people as human beings – with kindness, compassion and grace. Let’s celebrate difference and all that comes with it.

To quote from Bruce Woodley’s masterpiece –

“We are one, but we are many

And from all the lands on earth we come

We’ll share a dream and sing with one voice

I am, you are, we are Australian.”

The Black Lives Matter movement continues to demand justice and accountability for violence and racism inflicted on Black communities in the United States and around the world.

Here in Australia, we too must acknowledge that Indigenous Australians are targets of systemic and institutional racism.

As reported by ABC, “there have been 400 Aboriginal deaths in custody since the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody, and no police officers have been convicted over these deaths. Key recommendations into breaking the cycle of imprisonment have not been implemented. In the decades since the report, the rate of incarceration of Indigenous Australians has doubled.”

Change starts with each one of us taking real action, every day.

We can educate ourselves on the history and impact of colonisation on Australia’s First Nations peoples.

We can examine our own prejudices and understand how non-Indigenous Australians have benefited from the systemic discrimination, dispossession and inequality of First Nations people over hundreds of years.

We can listen to the voices of Indigenous Australians and hear what they need us to do to support Indigenous communities to heal and thrive.

While Reconciliation Week 2020 has drawn to a close this week, we can ensure that our daily lives are filled with actions, whether big or small, that are informed by the five dimensions of reconciliation; historical acceptance, race relations, equality and equity, institutional integrity and unity.

For more on practical ways you can support Aboriginal Lives Matter, read this piece. 

Save The Children’s ‘It Takes a Village’ program and playgroups are designed for refugee and migrant families around Brisbane. They provide positive playtime for children and their families.

They used to run a playgroup for these families in Multicultural Australia’s offices every Tuesday. Due to COVID-19 they’ve had to change up their service delivery, now offering playgroup sessions online.

Check out this behind the scenes of how they are making their videos, as well as a ‘make your own musical instruments’ demo!

In the height of social restrictions and isolation, Sadia found it really difficult to not to worry about her loved ones overseas. Here she shares how cultivating a routine of positive activity helped her to maintain her physical and mental health in isolation.

Sadia created this video in the early stages of COVID-19 in Australia, but her advice is still relevant including to keep following Government advice as we navigate this roadmap out of restrictions.

For Daniela, isolation enabled her to spend more time on her passion for creativity. She invites all of us to reflect on the opportunities isolation can offer creativity and reflection.

Carolyn is a local community organiser in Salisbury, in Brisbane’s south. Through COVID-19, she has focused on enabling community connection despite physical distancing – as well as taking the opportunity to connect with her family!

Her current project is Driveway Dinners – connecting neighbours through a physically distanced dinner in their own driveways.

As we ease out of COVID-19 restrictions, Carolyn’s vision is a world where we can break down barriers between people. We come from many different places, and we all have different stories, but we are all human beings. We share this world and together we can make it something wonderful.

Multicultural communities have led a strong response to COVID-19, ensuring information, services and support are accessible for our diverse Australian communities.

In particular, they have been working with agencies to build the skills and resources in community to enable people to better manage conflict and prevent family violence.

In the height of COVD-19, they came together to share messages of peace and hope as part of Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month.

We’re so fortunate to have such talent in our neighbourhoods! Cachicamo was one of the first to share their story with Culture of Connection. They’ve shared their new single Gypsyclipse with us; they created it in isolation.

What better way to celebrate restrictions lifting with uplifting World music. We can’t wait to hear Cachicamo again live; until then, enjoy this clip.

An online Youth Forum this Friday, 29 May aims to respond to the unique challenges that COVID-19 has presented for diverse Australian young people.

Youth leaders organising the forum are members of the Youth Voice group and the Future Leaders Advocacy Group that speak up for issues impacting culturally diverse young people in Brisbane.

They have highlighted key issues for young people during COVID-19 including mental health, social isolation, struggles with home-schooling, difficulties accessing equipment and data, access to housing, unemployment/underemployment, financial stressors, and domestic and family violence.

The forum, taking place via ZOOM from 5pm to 6.30pm on 29th May invites service providers and representatives of government agencies including Services Australia, the Australian Tax Office, Queensland Health and Multicultural Australia to address some of these impacts of COVID-19, especially regarding financial wellbeing.

Cieavash Arean came to Australia in 1988 and has been performing traditional Iranian and other musical genres across multiple instruments since 1989.
For Cieavash and Arash (from Sufi Art Group), music is healing. This video features the Ghoshmeh and a Daf drum, producing sounds that will soothe your soul! Cieavash and Arash are hoping to play their healing music live as soon as they can.