Following the success of the #ShareTheMicNow campaign that originated in the US, a range of high-profile Australians handed over their social platforms yesterday — to amplify important voices from Australia's First Nations peoples.
The initiative first ran on June 10 in the USA and saw almost 100 stars taking part — including Kourtney Kardashian, Sophia Bush and Gwyneth Paltrow — and handing over their Instagrams to Black female activists, celebrities and entrepreneurs.
Spearheaded by Aboriginal author, Tara June Winch, and Go-To Skincare founder, Zoë Foster Blake, the Aussie edition of the campaign saw 20 people paired together to champion voices from Blak communities.
The campaign allowed non-Indigenous women in Australia to begin "sharing that important, essential mic" with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices
In a landscape where Blak narratives are often spoken-over by white voices, the #ShareTheMicNow initiative aimed to create space that allowed Blak voices to tell their own stories.
Here's what they had to say.
1. Mo’Ju took over from Phoebe Tonkin
"Black Lives Matter has become one of the largest civil rights movements in history. A movement for ALL Black and Indigenous people around the world. However, in recent discussions around BLM, it has become apparent to me that many people I have spoken to misunderstand what racism truely is and who can experience it.
We live in a society that is built upon foundations of White supremacy (the notion that Whiteness is the norm, the standard and the ideal). Racism is systemic and as such White people are in the position of power. If you can’t see this, then there is a good chance that is because you are benefitting from this system. Racism requires prejudice, but also social and institutional power. Therefore, White people can experience prejudice but they cannot experience racism.
We are taught that racism looks like violence and overt discrimination, which of course it does, but racism also manifests in many other ways, some of which are much more insidious than that.
Racism can be covert, such as in the form of racial micro-aggressions and is often unintentional. Impact however, outweighs intention. Being a good ally requires us all to look at ourselves and the ways in which we are complicit. It is our responsibility to self-interrogate and to examine and overcome our hidden biases."
You can view Mo’Ju's full takeover here.
2. Tara June Winch took over from Zoë Foster Blake
"There's so much to tell you, but I don't know how up to speed you are, I don't know how deeply your education has failed you. Prime Minister, Scott Morrison attended Sydney Boys High School, it looks nice there, good teachers I'm sure, and yet last week he said, 'there was no slavery in Australia'.
We know that's just not true, we've written about it since the explosion of our Aboriginal literature as a response to the civil rights movement of the 1960s, we know of it in historical records written by White men, by the oral histories of those Blackbirded and their descendants, and it's still unbelievable?
We know of it in those sold to the field under the Masters and Slaves Act during the colonisation of Australia, shackled by the neck, our people, photographed like that even, and it's still unbelievable?
We know in the forced servitude and control of 'wages' throughout the 20th century, my Nana Alice included, aged 14, was sent away to work as a domestic. 14. I have a 14 year old child at home right now. A child. It's so unbelievable?"
You can view Winch's full takeover here.
3. Nayuka Gorrie took over from Chrissie Swan
"My name is Nayuka Gorrie. I am Gunai/Kurnai, Gunditjmara, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta. I live on Wurundjeri country with my boyfriend Witt and our twins Nanwan and Yeerung. I am a screenwriter and an essayist.
Truth be told, I feel pessimistic about the state of the world. Like any parent, you want to believe your children are inheriting a world better than the one you have but this is not the case for many of us.
Aboriginal people are more incarcerated than ever before and have our children stolen by the state at rates higher than before. We have a media and political landscape that has no regard for our humanity. Our sacred sites are getting blown up and torn down.
This is not a world I want to raise my beautiful babies in. I am pessimistic, but several times over the last few weeks I have been reminded that I am part of a community of people who are fighting to make the world better."
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