Race Matters

Alicia Zhao and Toobs Anwar chat to poet and Fulbright scholar Stephanie Niu, about her expansive research on Christmas Island with the local community, weaving together poetry, stories and community mapping and archiving.

Plus, Stephanie shares a reading of her poem "Vision for America"

Find out more about Stephanie’s work here. Her forthcoming collection "Survived By" will be available for preorder with Host Publications starting in January

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Where would Race Matters be without Tanya Ali? Honestly, we probably wouldn't exist.

As well as being one of the founding co-hosts of the show, Tanya was a luminous compass for the show’s vision and growth in her time as executive producer and continues to nurture what we do. Somewhere in the haze of post-lockdown she graciously stepped out of her volunteer role as Executive Producer and never got a final show. SO this morning we are going to honor her her years of work and the real labour it took to uphold it, and are excited to have her as our special guest. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We take some reprieve amid the heaviness of the world to bring you some of the new(ish) voices of Race Matters. Over the last six months, every week, our new volunteers have been coming together to help bring Race Matters to life. Today we hear from Tim Worton, Alicia Zhao, Toobs Anwar with Executive Producer Shareeka Helaluddin talking about what brought them here, consciousness-raising texts (spoiler: Chicken Run is about workers rights), and their everyday acts of resistance. Lots of love to Aish Naidu, Jess Mulet and Samantha Haran who couldn't make it! Catch their work soon <3 

Tracklist (listen to the full broadcast with tracks here)

CHITRA - Go Easy

PRIYA RAGU - Kamali

JESSICA LOLLATO - Don't You Come Around

ALTHEA AND DONNA - Uptown Top Ranking

FIGS! BITCH Mohhamad EL Kurd & Clarissa Bitar 

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet some of our newest co-hosts and producers Samantha Haran and Alicia Zhao. They’ve been working together on this new series to reimagine and explore the possibilities of what ‘education’ can be and alternative ways in which we learn, gesturing towards modes that are transformative and healing.

They begin by looking critically at the ways in which current models of education are failing people and enacting violence; hearing from some listener voice messages that were both vulnerable and concerning. They come to this as learners as well as producers to this series, weaving critical conversation and care. 

Artwork by Alicia Zhao. This piece was produced by Alicia & Sam. 

Content Note: The second voicenote contain instances of distressing content - with mention of suicide, miscarriage PTSD and racial harrassment. We flag this in more detail in the episode. We ask that you go gently when listening in or choose to opt out, and have left support resources in our show notes.

If you have anything you want to share in regard to this please get in touch at [email protected]

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are very excited and honored to bring forward the first episode of Migrant S3x Workers of Colour, a series of intimate dialogues produced by Jasmine Raat Ki Raani

"The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this audio series are by migrant sex workers of color who speak for themselves and not for the entire community. We do not take responsibility for how the audience perceives us or our stories because we are not here to please. We are a work in progress and our thoughts, views and opinions are subject to change. We do not intend to hurt anyone’s feelings, your feelings are your responsibility.

In India the s3x workers I met taught me that 'the first step towards revolution is the revolution of self-worth. That we can’t fight the world if we haven’t fought with ourselves. The only thing that matters to us is how we see ourselves.'

No longer are we going to wait for someone to pass us the mic. No longer are we waiting for someone to save us. No longer will we let anyone decide how our words should sound. We speak clearly. We affirm we are here to take space. We urge everyone from in and out the industry to listen to listen" 

Series concept, produced and edited - Jasmine Raat Ki Raani

Episode dialogues with - Alana, Rosa, Milan

Series artwork - Katy Cao

Final mixing & sound design - Shareeka Helaluddin 

If you have the means, consider donating to their mutual aid (more details about this at the end of the episode). BSB: 013040 & Account: 464120537

This series was made possible by the Community Broadcasting Foundation. 

Additional sounds

Frank and Poet - Reflections

Plum Blossum - Kokura Station

Kelela - Contact 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s show we seek to continue to uplift the ongoing resistance and interconnectedness of displaced peoples on these lands, in Palestine and occupied territories. Tracing settler colonial roots in so-called Australia, this moment a day after the referendum and links to Palestine. 

Content note: some of this episode contains mention of graphic acts of genocide, dispossession and state-sanctioned violence. 

Hear from Darumbal and South Sea Islander journalist and co-organiser with ICRR Amy McQuire and Palestinian organiser Amal - they’ll speak from their unique perspectives on what solidarity with Palestine looks like and contextualising it this week during the referendum and the siege happening in Palestine. We will also hear from Ramia Sultan, Palestinian organiser with APAN sharing what’s happening on the ground in Gaza. Plus, a reading from the Sunday Paper Our Shared Resistance by Amy McQuire read by Gomeroi poet Alison Whittaker. 

With gratitude to a chorus of people who instilled us with their trust and energy to make this episode happen: Amy McQuire, Institute of Collabroative Race Research, Ramia Sultan, Australian Palestinian Advocacy Network, Mell Chun, Matt Chun, The Sunday Paper, Amal, Samantha Haran, Alicia Zhao, Toobs Anwar, Shareeka Helaluddin

Image credit: @tarabeat.camille

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the noise continues and racist rhetoric unfolds across the continent, Race Matters will be deferring our platform entirely to First Nations activist and community groups to amplify nuances beyond the yes/no rhetoric of The Voice and to centre complex and healing dialogues. 

This week, we hear from Kieran and Dan from Black People's Union: a revolutionary organisation that aims to empower Indigenous people in Australia through the pursuit of full self-determination and sovereignty. They chatted through the BPU's objection to the voice and its links to an illegal, racist constitution; the problem with leftists and white progressives, plus tangible ways forward to sovereignty. 

Learn more about BPU, and if you're in Naarm, catch their live event and fundraiser, Sovereignty in the Time of the Voice with Shiralee Hood, Lidia Thorpe, Dr Chelsea Watego alongside Kieran; happening on September 28th - details here. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tahlia Palmer's work grapples with tensions of the weight of colonial trauma and finding comfort in recovering ancestral practices. She's an artist of Murri and European lineage, working in a variety of mediums to explore history, identity and perception. Her art practice works on confronting the conditions that create and perpetuate inter-generational trauma, as well as finding pathways for healing. She chatted with Race Matters and unpacked her creative process and what it is to turn political intentions into poetic musical expression. 

You can catch Tahlia performing as amby downs as part of the Volumes festival happening at Art Gallery of NSW on September 27th from 7pm. Entry is free, more details here. 

 

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BEYOND THE BARS X RACE MATTERS SOLIDARITY SYNDICATE

From Gadigal to ... those on the inside, with love. 

This week we dedicate our airwaves to the trailblazing, radical output of Beyond the Bars Prison Radio, on 3CR Radio. An honor to be joined by Shiralee Hood - she's a Noongar, Kurnai, Gunditjmara comedian, broadcaster and educator. She uses her work in prison radio as an extension of her deep rooted practice of storytelling and healing, nurturing relationships with those who are incarcerated. 

We’re also going to hear excerpts from those on the inside: incarcerated first peoples who have made radio with Beyond the Bars sharing their stories, their poems, their music. We’re honored to hear them here on Race Matters and urge you to listen to the full broadcasts that we’ll link in our show notes.

Excerpts in order: 

Dwayne - Only Loves Remains (poem)

Amanda - Ashley's Poem

Amanda, Chantelle, Alishia - Language

Wayne, Cody - Learning Language

Cane - Jail Doesn't Help (rap)

Troy - Back into Culture 

the women at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre - Ngarra Burra Ferra 

Gre - Look out for each other

Daisy - Story in a painting 

 

LISTEN TO & SUPPORT BEYOND THE BARS EVERY JULY DURING NAIDOC WEEK. The Broadcast is also archived online, and highlights on a CD available. 

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

RED RATTLER X RACE MATTERS PRESENTS: EMBERS

Listen back to a tender and generative conversation held at our live community gathering at the Red Rattler, Embers. Following a screening of Lizzie's Borden's cult-classic Born In Flames, we were joined by community builders and artists Aaliyah-Jade Bradbury, Kween G, prince and facilitated in conversation for one last time by Darren Lesaguis. 

Hear them deconstruct and reconstruct the 1983 film, talk through every day acts of resistance, anti-capitalist solidarity, ways of finding joy, disruption and silence amid all the noise. This event was Darren Lesaguis' final show as co-host of Race Matters, hear at the end how we honor the five years of his inimitable, joyous, caring tenure on the show and the gifts he has offered this next chaper of Race Matters. 

Thanks to Lizzie Borden herself and cinenova in london for making this screening possible, Kween and Viv and the rRed Rattler for inviting us, Tanya Ali for the music, the Race Matters volunteers: Samantha, Tim, Aish, Jessica, Toobs, Alicia Zhao for the incredible artwork for the event, Justin for photography, Lachlan on sound and lighting, Ross for filming, Judy from Love & Peace Catering, Sammy, Professor and Ya for setting up the space, Shareeka Helaluddin for co-producing the event. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.