We need to talk about racism

Mental Makeover

In Australia, racism towards Indigenous Australians is embedded into the fabric of our country. It has become part of our culture. It presents itself in subtle, covert ways that make it difficult to pinpoint, so if you pull someone up on their "innocent joke", you'll be shunned and told to "lighten up". Or better yet, to stop being so "politically correct" because it was "just a joke". In a culture that celebrates lightheartedness and demonises taking things too seriously, how do we evolve as a nation? How do we acknowledge our past for what it truly is, and take accountability for the ways in which we are consciously or subconsciously repeating the toxic behaviour that continues to keep Indigenous Australians oppressed and marginalised? While I still have so much to learn myself, I share my perspective on a few small, foundational steps we can all take to help end the institutional racism PoC face every day. It is our responsibility to educate ourselves, not theirs.