UNBiased

Less than 3 weeks into moving the family to Singapore, it's just me sharing my first impressions and experiences and reflections in the context of tackling bias.

More guests to come in the following episodes. 

Stay tuned!

A slightly different format to usual today. I’m still joined by an inimitable guest who’s committed to addressing bias through their work combining their lived and learned experience. But I wanted to take some time out to chat about some of the challenges with doing this work, particularly where it may be a side hustle, or an additional burden to the daily lives of underrepresented groups, which it often is.

And kicking this off, I’m joined this week on UNBiased podcast by Daizy Maan where we discuss “the left eating the left”.

Daizy is the founder of Australian Digital Job Accelerator which empowers women to gain financial independence through freelance work,  and is the Co-founder of Australian South Asian Centre (ASAC), a community of purpose driven South Asian women who are creatives, founders and leaders.  ASAC's work has been featured on SBS World News, ABC and SBS. She has recently been awarded Melbourne Asia Game Changer Awards by Asia Society in 2022 for her work on empowering South Asian women.

Join us as we discuss the not uncommon experience, which has more recently been backed up by research, that those on the left (politically) are more prone to call out people within their own group for their actions. This is compared with those on the right, who place more value on group loyalty and are more likely to call out people outside of their group or echo chamber.

I loved shooting the breeze with Daizy on this. Reach out and let me know if this resonates with you, and if there are other topics you’d like to hear addressed this year on UNBiased

Kicking off 2022 on UNBiased  with the inimitable Dinesh Palipana.

Dinesh is a doctor, lawyer, disability advocate, researcher, and author of his memoir, Stronger published in 2022. He was the first quadriplegic medical intern in Queensland, having suffered a spinal cord injury as a result of a motor vehicle accident halfway through medical school.

Following too many accolades over the last few years to call out within LinkedIn word limits, Dinesh was listed as number 33 in the Courier Mail’s top 100 power list for Queensland’s most influential in health and wellbeing.

I highly encourage you all to read his book where he shares so openly about a whole gamut of biases he’s been triumphing over during the course of his life so far.

Joining me this week on UNBiased podcast  is award-winning human rights advocate, lawyer, diversity and inclusion practitioner, author, media commentator and CEO of Media Diversity Australia, [@ ] Mariam Veiszadeh.

Mariam was born in Afghanistan and came to Australia in 1990 with her family as a refugee.

With many accolades to her name including the Fairfax Daily Life 2016 Woman of the year, the 2015 Westpac Woman of Influence and Welcoming Australia Life Member Award in 2021, Mariam is renowned for influencing positive change both in the workplace and in society more broadly.

Mariam shares openly about her own personal journey, including the toll that her unending commitment to inclusion has brought along the way.

Since recording, Media Diversity Australia released “Who Gets To Tell Australian Stories 2.0” a follow up to its landmark 2020 report evaluating progress in the diversity of media representation in Australia. The report highlights the long journey ahead for the media, particularly news and current affairs, to reach a point where it represents the society it serves. I appreciate all the work Mariam and her team is doing in this space, and encourage you to check out the report for yourselves: https://www.mediadiversityaustralia.org/who-gets-to-tell-australian-stories-2-0/.

Joining me this week on UNBiased podcast Kaley Nicholson, Co-Founder of Yilam, a 100% Aboriginal owned and female led startup that is changing the face of the camping industry by embedding Aboriginal philosophies of interconnectedness and caring for Country across the sector through their range of ethically and sustainably sourced camping equipment and bespoke on Country experiences.

After a rewarding career in the public service, working across all levels of government including local, state, and federal, Kaley found her true passion as an entrepreneur and has been sweeping the board at pitch nights, particularly those aimed at supporting female founders.

In this candid conversation Kaley shares her journey from raising kids as a single teenage mother, with the support of her own Mum, studying, working, earning financial freedom and challenging misconceptions left, right and center along the way.

Joining me on UNBiased podcast today  Hawanatu Bangura.

Hawanatu is an award-winning filmmaker and social worker who specialises in mental health.

She is the founder of Mahawa Creative, a storytelling agency that crafts socially impactful videos for organisations that want to tell compelling stories.

As a mental health clinician she is passionate about helping people enhance their wellbeing and self-worth. As part of her social enterprise she runs Rejuvenate, a workplace wellbeing program supporting employees to be more connected to themselves, their work and feel a greater sense of belonging that leads to higher productivity and performance.

Hawanatu has managed to combine her training, work and expertise in film making, social work and clinical mental health practice into a truly unique offering which serves to help underrepresented groups find the space to bring their authentic selves to work, and also supports established film makers with the tools they need to be able to tell untold stories from similar underrepresented groups.

So refreshing to speak to someone forging a new path with such grace and confidence.

Engage with Hawanatu:

www.mahawacreative.com

www.hawanatu.com

Instagram/Facebook: @mahawacreative

This week’s guest on UNBiased podcast  is Michelle Sheppard, or “Mama Mish” as she is affectionately known.

Michelle is a highly respected presenter, advocate, and trainer in the gender equity space. As a transgender woman, she appreciates the difficulties within the grey created by the gender divide and traverses them herself and willingly takes others on the ride with her.

Michelle brings her lived experience of being a trans woman into her work, running diversity, equity, and inclusion training, mentoring colleagues, and providing extra support to anyone transitioning or affirming their gender. In her work Michelle lays out the sobering statistics around violence and discrimination against transgender people, unemployment, financial troubles, and mental health issues but mixes them with anecdotes and funny stories from her life.

Michelle's goal is the achievement of a work environment in which all individuals are treated fairly and respectfully, have equal access to opportunities and resources, and can contribute fully to the organization's success.

Michelle shares openly her journey made up of more than 1 kind of transition, the impacts on her mental health, family and relationships, and how she found the resolve to lean in to living an authentic life as the antidote to discrimination and unwarranted biases.

Marian is a marine biologist, academic, lecturer, researcher and founder of Mooch Denim Upcycled.

More recently, Marian founded new venture Mooch Denim Upcycled, where she designs and makes bags and other fashion items from unwanted denim and remnant fabrics. By upcycling jeans and fabrics that would otherwise go to waste, she aims to spread the word about the environmental impacts of fast fashion on the planet.

By supporting upcycling and taking a slow fashion mindset, Marian believes in the power we all have to help reduce the enormous amount of waste that piles up each day.

It was so refreshing to chat to someone who doesn’t let labels define her, surrounds herself with people driven by purpose and the aim to solve big problems collaboratively, who lives her values daily and combines passion, experience and purpose into everything she does.

For more information and how to get involved you can follow Marian here:

Website:    www.moochdenim.com.au

Email:        [email protected]

Instagram: @moochdenim

Facebook: @mooch_denim

Marian’s tip on where to go for a guide on fair trade clothing brands: https://goodonyou.eco/

Caroline is my first repeat guest on UNBiased having joined me last year in episode 7 to talk about her work as CEO of Organise Curate Design. To recap on Caroline’s bio, for over almost two decades, Caroline Brunne has mastered the art and science of supporting high-performing leaders via strategic life management. 

Now Caroline adds “author” to her CV through an act of unshakable courage; sharing her own true story and becoming someone new. In writing her debut book More Than One Thing Can Be True: a story of survival, Caroline not only bravely changed her world but ignited a mission to change the world for children today and for future generations. Her story is a compelling account of healing despite the odds. It speaks to the reality of trauma, and also the power we have to transform and heal. It is a story of one courageous woman, who, despite carrying decades of shame, chose to own her voice. In doing so, she is paving the way for survivors to own their voices and live a life of courageous intention.