Black Lives Matter - Beyond American Borders

Written by Liliana Occhiuto

While the death of George Floyd has sparked widespread unrest, we as a nation need to take a look in our own backyard. 

Sacred indigenous sites, invaluable pieces of human history are being dismantled, disproportionate amounts of Aboriginal people are placed within our countries’ jail systems and to this day, daily discrimination and cultural erasure continue to exist. 

As we speak, racial discrimination affecting the founding people of our nation continues to occur and, Australia, it is time to take a stand. By learning the stories, acknowledging the histories and through the act of deepening your cultural knowledge of Indigenous Australia, we can take real steps toward communal decolonisation. 

In times where cultural stamps are being erased, this is the time in which we need to educate ourselves. Learning from Elders past and present, by acknowledging the native titles of country that you stand on and by learning to develop true appreciation for those affected by institutional racism, we can rise through unity and strength.

We wanted to use this episode of World Travels Book Club as a platform to amplify the stories of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) by featuring inspiring novels by Black and First Nations authors.

We hope you’ll join us in committing to reading, learning and educating ourselves on the histories, cultures and issues faced by Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) in our community.

Let’s continue to advocate for equal rights and work towards making a change in our own communities. Remember to be kind, listen and look for the transformative magic that can be found in literature.

AVAILABLE IN STORE AND ONLINE.

Light It Up by Kekla Magoon

Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe

Two Ways Strong by Claire Scobie and Kristine Ellis

Catching Teller Crow by Ambelin and Ezekiel Kwaymullina

Who Am I? by Anita Heiss

Freedom Ride by Sue Lawson

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo