Acknowledgement of Country//

Headlines//

• Gaza updates

• Inquest into Clinton Austin death in Loddon Prison delayed

• Federal budget anti-poverty critique

• Urges for the Australian government to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

We play a speech by Themme Fatale at the Defend Dissent Coalition rally on Victoria's Parliament Steps last Wednesday the 19th of March. Themme Fatale drove home the powerful message that preventing the criminalisation of mask-wearing at protests is first and foremost a disability justice issue. Read and sign the open letter "Protect the Right to Protest" from Defend Dissent Coalition here.//

Ruth Nyaruot Ruach and Geskeva Komba, Creative Producers and Co-Founders of Next In Colour, joined us to discuss the Future Reset: Diasporic Dreaming project, a creative collaboration between Footscray Community Arts and Next In Colour which aims to support young people from African Diaspora communities. The project, funded by Vic Health, began in 2022 and culminates in this Saturday’s launch of the research zine 'Re-imagining Utopias'. Ruth is a South-Sudanese multidisciplinary artist, who uses art to heal, explore her surroundings and create comfort within her blackness. Geskeva Komba is a trans-disciplinary creative of Comorian and Tanzanian heritage. Raised in the Western suburbs of Melbourne she has experience combined in community development, theatre, film, spoken word, as well as music.//

Yusra and Khadija, students at River Nile School (RNS), share what independent senior secondary education at the school is all about. RNS provides specialised support for young people from refugee and asylum seeker communities, and has a commitment to trauma-informed teaching and learning strategies, with a goal to reduce the barriers to education faced by young women in particular. In our conversation today, Yusra and Khadija also spoke about River Nile School’s block party happening next Thursday 3 April from 2-6pm in North Melbourne. You can RSVP or show your support by donating to the school here.//

Gamilaroi man and IndigenousX founder Luke Pearson joined us for a critical conversation about 'Harmony Day', which australia celebrates on March 21st while the rest of the world is commemorating the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Luke speaks about the difference between successive australian governments' attempts to creatively re-branding the colonial status quo and the work required to engage in actual anti-racist practice. You can read an excellent piece by Luke on 'Harmony Day' here on IndigenousX.//