Trivia Time! How much do Australians really know about refugees?

In a world of misinformed opinions, widespread coverage of right wing populist ideas (think Pauline Hanson, think Donald Trump) and a disturbing trend towards the misrepresentation of statistics and evidence to push political agendas. How much do Australians really know about refugees? In polls undertaken by Monash University in 2015, when asked how many refugees Australia…

Refugee Welcome Zones- Tell your local council!

How many times have you been out the front of a cafe or bar, and seen a little sticker stating pleasantly “refugees welcome”? or the comforting familiarity of the rainbow sticker showing that all Australians are also welcome? These are small details that most would not even notice, but for some people it makes a…

The ethical side of Twitter

When you think of ‘fair and equitable dialogue about refugees’ let’s be real, Twitter is not the first website you think of. Akin to medieval stocks in which individuals are shackled and have rotten fruit thrown at them, Twitter can sometimes be a breeding ground for insults, rude comments and generally.. the worst of the…

Links..Refugees in contemporary art

Going off the success of our previous post featuring refugee fiction, specifically a set of poems , I have decided to do another ~creativity~ based post. But this time, with a focus on contemporary art surrounding the refugee crisis, and art produced by refugees. As Zadie Smith writes in her novel White Teeth; “It makes an…

Saturday Links: Poetry and Fiction Edition

One of the best ways to create empathy and understanding towards different groups in society is through the power of storytelling, narrative and fiction. Once someone is able to see something from another perspective and is able to grasp a fraction of the emotions and motivation involved in a situation, then compassion and sympathy can…

Interview with Beyond the Fabric

Through the magic of the Internet I learnt of an a fantastic organisation called Beyond The Fabric. This organisation empowers a group of female refugees in Indonesia by selling beautiful handmade pants sewed and designed by these women, and $12.00 from each pair of pants (most retail for around $25.00) goes directly towards the women who created them, whilst…

Podcasts (best of)- refugee crisis

One of the best things to come out of having our own portable handheld devices constantly on hand is easy access to podcasts from all across the globe. No matter your interests, age or location, it’s virtually guaranteed that there will be some sort of podcast to pique your interest. My personal favourite are economics and politics…

Interview with Dulce Carolina Muñoz Garcia, Social Marketing Convenor of Mums 4 Refugees

On a cold and rainy morning in Lilyfield, I sat down in a local cafe to chat to the inspiring Dulce (and her adorable daughter) about the amazing non-profit and activist organisation Mums 4 Refugees. Mums 4 Refugees is an organisation of mothers of all social and cultural backgrounds that aims to advocate for refugees…

‘Welcome Home’- Dave Dobbyn

A song I’ve been listening to a lot whilst working on my cause is the song ‘Welcome Home’ by New Zealand singer songwriter Dave Dobbyn, who was originally a part of the rock group ‘Th’ Dudes.’ This song is a touching dedication to refugees and asylum seekers who have relocated to a foreign place, overcoming all…

Lush, Ben & Jerry’s & Corporate Activism

Corporate slogans and tag-lines often come across at best entertaining, and at worst insincere and irritating. It’s not often that a company (particularly a successful, global and wealthy corporation) will come out with any sort of marketing scheme that says something important, something controversial and something that may affect people’s decision to purchase from them. Which…