The Rap

Social worker, educator, and proud Durrumbal / Killilli and Yidinji woman, Tileah Drahm-Butler joins Areej to talk about her article in Melbourne University’s Pursuit, Decolonising Social Work. Tileah discusses how using narrative therapy, increasing the number of First Nations social workers, and moving away from viewing social work as a “white” profession will help make social work resonate more with Aboriginal practitioners and clients alike.

Samira Farah then talks to Areej about the major events of 2020. From the Black Lives Matter movement, Tiger King, Indian Matchmaking, and the pandemic.

Lastly, Melbourne based DJ, C.Frim, joins Areej for a chat about the year and her new cassette mixtape, BSRMIX100. All proceeds from the mixtape will be donated to Black Rainbow, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, LGBQTI+SB support organisation. C.Frim also dropped a mix featuring tracks from Melbourne based producer Swell, rapper Mulalo, plus a little sprinkling of afrobeat to celebrate Areej’s last show of the year.

C.Frim’s BSRMIX100 is out now via Butter Sessions on Bandcamp.

With presenter Areej Nur.

Decolonising Social Work | Pursuit

C.Frim's Mix | Triple R

Follow C.Frim | Instagram

C.Frim's Stream | SoundCloud

BSRMIX100 - C.Frim | Butter Sessions Bandcamp

Black Rainbow.Org

Every autumn and spring, the FUSE festival transforms Darebin into a dynamic hub of creativity. The festival ignites the suburb, bringing together artists, the community, and audiences to visit the parks, theatres, galleries, and other public spaces. Yorta Yorta artist & Project Curator of Wurru-Wurru, Allara Briggs Pattison joins Areej to talk about the exhibition, combining the work of six local artists to create brand new works inspired by the theme of Wurru-Wurru, which means “Sacred Kingfisher” and “sky” in Woiwurrung language.

Sydney-based rapper, JarmarzOnMarz is operating in largely uncharted waters being an openly gay male rapper but that hasn’t stopped him from expressing his views over rap, R&B and afrobeat influenced instrumentals. He joined Areej to discuss his new latest single and music video for Tomorrow, a straight to the point masterclass with lyrics that switch between English and Swahili as he sings about queer love in an ode to his current partner.

Wurru Wurru | FUSE Darebin

Follow Allara Briggs Pattison | Instagram

JamarzOnMarz | Linktree

Follow JamarzOnMarz | Instagram

JamarzOnMarz - Tomorrow (Music Video) | YouTube

Earlier this year the 22nd Biennial of Sydney ran from March to October. It was an artist and First Nations-led endeavour presenting an expansive exhibition of contemporary art that connected local communities and global networks. Creator and co-editor of NIRIN NGAAY/NIRIN NAARM, Brook Andrew joins Areej to talk about the exhibition moving to the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art. The exhibition now being presented online includes a selection of video works, in addition to a filmed curatorial introduction from Brook Andrew himself and an online public program with participating artists. More info on the talks, program & featured artists can be found on ACCA’s website.
The Melbourne Fringe Festival is in full swing with a mixture of on and offline events. Visual artist and proud Wemba Wemba and Gunditjmara woman, Rosie Kalina chats to Areej about Mtalks First Nations Women’s Bodies in Colonial spaces - A Deadly Fringe yarn. The free talk covers the complexities and intersections of being a First Nations woman or person who has a lived experience of misogyny, particularly focusing on social media. As well as discussing the ways First Nations women's bodies have been depicted in a Colonial context, fat-phobia, selfies, body autonomy and how to find the up-sides of social media when it comes to self-image.

NIRIN NAARM | ACCA

MTalks – First Nations Bodies in Colonial Spaces | Melbourne Fringe

Creating and ensuring diversity in the music industry is an ongoing and ever-challenging battle. Luckily, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music creators there will soon be more support available. National Manager of NATSIMO, Leah Flanagan joins Areej to discuss a new strategic plan and curation of a virtual masterclass series to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians and artists develop songcraft, creativity, and professional development skills for a thriving and self-determined Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music community.

The masterclass series is set to launch in 2021.

NATSIM0 | Facebook

NATSIM0 | Instagram

NATSIM0 - Music Creators | APRA AMCOS

Living in the “cool zone” sounds great, but not that’s not the case for people actually living in it. Culture and tech writer for Vice/ Motherboard, Gita Jackson joins Areej to discuss what the 'cool zone' even is plus the experience of living in Trump’s American during the Covid-19 pandemic, providing an American perspective of the upcoming US election.

Back home in Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are grossly overrepresented in the out-of-home care system which is leading to them feeling increasingly disconnected from their family and culture.

Meriam man and CEO of The Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) and Co-founder of the Family Matters campaign, Richard Weston joins Areej to talk about The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle Indicators 2018–19 report, which measures the progress towards implementing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle – to ensure the value of culture to the safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children is embedded in policy and practice.

We're All Living In The Cool Zone Now | Vice

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children increasingly disconnected from family and culture | SNAICC

National Co-director of Democracy in Colour, Neha Madhok joined Areej to discuss the recent report released by the Migrant Workers Justice Initiative, As If We Aren’t Human, that detailed the abandonment of temporary migrant workers in Australia during the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the recent announcement by the federal government to introduce an English language test prior to being accepted for a partner visa.

Areej is also joined by Tharawal and Yorta Yorta woman, activist and lecturer in criminology at Western Sydney University, Robyn Oxley who talked about her recent piece for IndigenousX and The Guardian, Defunding the police and abolishing prisons in Australia are not radical ideas. In the article, Oxley argues that the ongoing deaths of First Nations people in custody, high incarceration rates, and brutal policing require these systems to be dismantled.

Lastly, Sydney based writer, commentator, and author, Cole Brown jumps on the line to chat about his recent book Greyboy: Finding Blackness in a White World, a work that asks an important question: What is Blackness?

As If We Aren't Humans: The Abandonment of Temporary Migrant Workers in Australia during Covid-19 | MWJI

Neha Madhok | Twitter

Defunding the police and abolishing prison are not radical ideas | The Guardian

Robyn Oxley | Twitter

Greyboy: Finding Blackness in a White World | NewSouth Books

Cole Brown | Twitter

Content warning: The first interview with Dr. Hannah McGlade is heavy and covers distressing topics. If you wish to skip ahead, jump to 17:56

Noongar woman and Senior Indigenous Research Fellow at Curtin University, Dr. Hannah McGlade joins Areej to discuss the damning report by Human Rights Watch, ‘He’s Never Coming Back’: People with Disabilities Dying in Western Australia’s Prisons. The report examines the serious risk of self-harm and death Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners with mental health issues are under whilst in custody in Western Australia’s prison system.

Also, Zambian-born musician Sampa the Great and Senior Clinical Psychologist at Pola Psychology, Nasalifa Namwinga join Areej to discuss their partnership that aims to raise funds and decrease the number of hurdles in the way of delivering culturally safe mental health care to African youths. The collaboration is hoping to raise $20,000 that will go towards paying for a full year’s worth of therapy for African youths.

'He's Never Coming Back' | Human Rights Watch

Lifeline Australia - 13 11 14 - Crisis Support

Sampa the Great X Pola Psychology | Pola Psychology

Donate to the Sampa the Great x Pola Psychology fund

Psychology Today Australia

Our Directory | Instagram

Senior Lecturer at University of Brighton, Dr. Marlon Moncrieffe joins Areej to discuss his recent piece for The Conversation, Facing up to cycling’s history of anti-blackness. An in-depth article detailing the past transgressions against black athletes throughout elite and professional cycling competitions. Dr. Moncrieffe also discussed the difference between championing diversity and anti-racism along with the pros and cons associated with each action.

Tour De France 2020: Facing up to professional cycling's history of anti-blackness | The Conversation

Author and American culture critic from Northwestern University, Dr. Lauren Michele Jackson joins Areej to talk about her latest book White Negroes ahead of her appearance at Broadly Speaking for the Wheeler Centre. Dr Jackson's work explores the new generation of whiteness thriving from the expense and borrowed ingenuity of black people.

Plus the founder of The Artists of Colour Initiative, Tarik Frimpong pops in to chat about the launch of a scholarship competition to provide both financial assistance and industry support for BIPOC theatre performers.

Lastly, poet, activist, and youth ambassador, Solli Raphael joins Areej for a yarn about his new book Spotlight. Featuring five non-fiction chapters, Solli encourages readers to find their voice, learn the forms and occupation of writing as well as discussing how to use and gain a platform. Solli also performs his slam poem, 72 Years, an inspiring piece about how we can live each day to its fullest potential.

Lauren Michele Jackson - White Negroes | Penguin Random House

Broadly Speaking: Power, Privilege and Pushing Back | Wheeler Centre

AOC Initiative Website

Solli Raphael - Spotlight | Penguin Random House

Areej is joined by Wamba Wamba First Nations person and Centre Manager of the Indigenous Law Centre UNSW, Eddie Synot who discussed the university’s open letter that called for urgent action to address the over-incarceration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Plus Ayan Shirwa returns to talk about all things pop culture, tv films including Michaela Cole’s I May Destroy You as well as a brief retrospective about the passing of Chadwick Boseman and the film Black Panther.

Lastly, Melbourne based musician and DJ, Mulalo hops on the line to chat about their new single 30, an ode to Melbourne’s western suburbs, as well as dropping a guest mix.

Read the Open Letter here

I May Destroy You - Official Trailer | YouTube

Listen to Mulalo - 30 | SoundCloud

Listen to Mulalo's Guest Mix | SoundCloud