Saying it

Untitled, part of installation at Carriageworks for Brendan Penzer's "Starving Artist", 2009

Maybe its just because its election time, but I'm feeling angrier than usual. I think its all those political ads, the spin, the constant reference to boat people as a threat to the Australian way of life. I'm angry about the continuing lack of respect government has for Indigenous Australians. Why isn't inequality and injustice a priority? Sometimes it feels like the election process is a farce and a choice between the lesser of two evils. But I don't think negativity is the way to deal with the frustration and anger. I think about the positives. I think about the day mum, dad and I got our Australian Citizenship. My beloved Australia makes me feel safe and for me it is always going to be home when I return from travel. After 23 years of citizenship I feel a responsibility to speak up, to talk about the things that some may feel are best ignored (like there is no racism here because everything is just fine and dandy) or topics that are just too hard to think about so they're best left alone. Even though in the words of GZA "I'm not caught up in politics/I'm no black activist on a so-called scholars dick" I'm going to keep trying to find ways to remind myself and others about the things we prefer to forget to think and talk about.

I have a voice and its the voice of a 30 something brown skinned woman living in Sydney's green leafy suburbs who migrated to Australia as a little kid.