Who Is My Neighbour?: Recent Episodes
You Belong Australia
“Who Is My Neighbour?” is a podcast by You Belong Australia. Each episode you’ll join with Sorgul & Warren to meet some of Australia’s newest neighbours; You’ll hear their stories, listen to their hopes and dreams, and discover the incredible courage and inspiration they bring to our communities and richly diverse Australian culture. You’ll also learn from some more established Aussies too and the joy they’ve found living and working alongside our refugee & migrant background neighbours.
Gear up for a special episode as we bring in John Richmond, not just as the dedicated former U.S. Ambassador fighting human trafficking, but also as a close friend with stories that are sure to inspire. Alongside his impactful role at Love Does, an organization born from Bob Goff’s vision, John has been a companion in journeys that matter. Our shared experiences include a trip to Israel in 2022, paving the way for the exciting launch of the Love Does school in Nazareth in March 2023, a beacon of hope in a land that yearns for peace.
On a fun side note… John and I, along with a motley crew of word changers, recently found ourselves reminiscing and dreaming big at Bob Goff's lodge in British Columbia. Amidst fun, laughter, shared memories, and the magnificent Canadian landscape, our commitment to justice and change only grew stronger.
Tune in for a conversation that melds the gravity of our causes with the genuine connection of two friends, deeply invested in a world where justice truly matters.
To learn more about the work of Love Does visit their website and follow them on instagram @lovedoes. You can also connect with John on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) @johnrichmond1.
This podcast was produced by the master, himself, Jose Biotto… with a little help from me. The featured music is from the song “Turning Over Tables” by The Brilliance.
Lastly, to my Patreon Community out there… thank you so very much for your support and generosity, without you this podcast would not be possible. If you’d like to become a Patreon and get exclusive access to behind the scenes content visit www.Patreon.com/TKBpodcasts, to start your “give-what-you-can” monthly contribution today and join me in creating a world where everyone belongs.
Justice Matters acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation, now known as Australia, and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Until next time, thank you for subscribing and sharing this podcast with your friends.
Learn More — https://timothybuxton.com/podcasts
Support the Show — https://patreon.com/TKBpodcasts
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
Venture into the great outdoors with Cam Greenwood, the visionary founder of the Zorali outdoor gear company. In this fun episode, we unearth the intersection of passion for nature, sustainable entrepreneurship, and the pursuit of justice. Cam shares the origins of Zorali, the challenges faced in building a brand committed to environmental conservation, and the strides taken to ensure that justice remains at the heart of every business decision.
For more information about Zorali, their amazing gear, and the adventurous community they are building, visit Zorali.com and connect on Instagram @zorali and @camgreenwood.
This podcast was produced by the master, himself, Jose Biotto… with a little help from me. The featured music is from the song “Turning Over Tables” by The Brilliance.
Lastly, to my Patreon Community out there… thank you so very much for your support and generosity, without you this podcast would not be possible. If you’d like to become a Patreon and get exclusive access to behind the scenes content visit www.Patreon.com/TKBpodcasts, to start your “give-what-you-can” monthly contribution today and join me in creating a world where everyone belongs.
Justice Matters acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation, now known as Australia, and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Until next time, thank you for subscribing and sharing this podcast with your friends.
Learn More — https://timothybuxton.com/podcasts
Support the Show — https://patreon.com/TKBpodcasts
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
In this episode, we're joined by Kayra Niebur, an inspiring young woman who serves as an assistant director at The Red Carpet in Tel Aviv. Kayra opens up not just about her transformative work serving alongside women involved in the underground sex industry in Tel Aviv, but also about her own life story. From her early days growing up in the Middle East, Kayra shares her journey, family influences, and the motivating factors that led her to serve some of the most heartbroken and hurting individuals in our society.
The Red Carpet is an oasis of hope for women caught in the cycles of prostitution, addiction, and abuse. Through their exceptional efforts, women are provided with a safe place to sleep, food, medical treatment, counselling, and job training. Kayra's work is making a profound impact, both in the lives of the individuals she helps and by inspiring others to make a difference in their communities.
Get a firsthand account of Kayra's commitment to healing and empowering these women, and how her own experiences have fuelled her passion for this work. This episode will leave you touched, inspired, and hopeful.
For more information about The Red Carpet and their vital work and get in touch with Kayra, connect with her on Instagram @kayraniebur.
This podcast was produced by the master, himself, Jose Biotto… with a little help from me. The featured music is from the song “Turning Over Tables” by The Brilliance.
Lastly, to my Patreon Community out there… thank you so very much for your support and generosity, without you this podcast would not be possible. If you’d like to become a Patreon and get exclusive access to behind the scenes content visit www.Patreon.com/JusticeMatters, to start your “give-what-you-can” monthly contribution today and join me in creating a world where everyone belongs.
Justice Matters acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation, now known as Australia, and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Until next time, thank you for subscribing and sharing this podcast with your friends.
Learn More — https://timothybuxton.com/podcasts
Support the Show — https://patreon.com/justicematters
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
Tabea Oppliger was born in 1977 to Swiss parents and raised in Papua New Guinea, spending her first 16 years of life speaking mainly Pidgin English and English. Tabea then lived in Switzerland for 20 years for education and professional reasons where she also got married and gave birth to her three children. An unstoppable force to see justice and freedom for all, Tabea founded GlowbalAct, a charity seeking to eradicate modern day slavery. In 2014 Tabea and her family moved to Tel Aviv, Israel where they established a social business called KitePride as a solution for people formerly exploited in the sex industry and beyond. A catalyst for change, Tabea’s enthusiasm and charisma will inspire you to action.
In this episode we discuss the real challenges of running a social business — a topic she discusses in her recent TEDx Talk. entitled "Social Business: The Balancing Act Between Head and Heart".
A profitable social business is often conflicting and paradoxical. In order to become economically sustainable, employee productivity needs to be at the forefront. However, choosing to employ individuals with an unstable emotional and mental capacity affects productivity, efficiency, economic sustainability and stability. Tabea Oppliger wants to share more about the balancing act between the head and heart of a social business with real life stories and experience.
To learn more about Tabea Oppliger and her Social Business you can purchase her book "No Filter" at her Kitepride website.
You can also follow Tabea on Instagram @tabeaoppliger.
This podcast was produced by the master, himself, Jose Biotto… with a little help from me. The featured music is from the song “Turning Over Tables” by The Brilliance.
Lastly, to my Patreon Community out there… thank you so very much for your support and generosity, without you this podcast would not be possible. If you’d like to become a Patreon and get exclusive access to behind the scenes content visit www.Patreon.com/JusticeMatters, to start your “give-what-you-can” monthly contribution today and join me in creating a world where everyone belongs.
Justice Matters acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation, now known as Australia, and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Until next time, thank you for subscribing and sharing this podcast with your friends.
Learn More — https://timothybuxton.com/podcasts
Support the Show — https://patreon.com/justicematters
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
Kelly Forbes is the CEO and founder of the AI Asia Pacific Institute, a think tank and research organization that focuses on the impact of artificial intelligence on society. She has a deep understanding of both its potential and its pitfalls. Kelly is a frequent speaker at conferences and events around the world and is known for her insightful commentary on the future of AI and its role in shaping society.
Episode Show Notes:
In this episode, we sit down with Kelly Forbes, CEO and founder of the AI Asia Pacific Institute, to talk about the impact of artificial intelligence on society. We delve into the role of AI in creating a more just society and explore the ethical challenges presented in a world where AI has greater decision-making powers.
Kelly shares her insights on the potential risks and rewards of AI, and whether we are on a trajectory where AI is likely to destroy the world as we know it. We discuss the importance of creating AI systems that are transparent, explainable, and accountable, and the need to ensure that they are aligned with human values and priorities.
We also explore how we can use AI for good and create a better world for all, especially the vulnerable and marginalized. Kelly shares some examples of how AI is already being used to address social challenges, such as reducing inequality in access to healthcare and education.
This conversation is a must-listen for anyone who wants to better understand the impact of AI on society and the potential for this powerful technology to create positive change. Join us as we explore the complex and fascinating world of AI with Kelly Forbes.
This conversation is a must-listen for anyone who wants to better understand the impact of AI on society and the potential for this powerful technology to create positive change. Join us as we explore the complex and fascinating world of AI with Kelly Forbes.
Learn more about the work of AI Asia Pacific Institute by visiting their website at https://aiasiapacific.org. You can also connect with Kelly on LinkedIn.
This podcast was produced by the master, himself, Jose Biotto… with a little help from me. The featured music is from the song “Turning Over Tables” by The Brilliance.
Lastly, to my Patreon Community out there… thank you so very much for your support and generosity, without you this podcast would not be possible. If you’d like to become a Patreon and get exclusive access to behind the scenes content visit Patreon.com/Justice Matters, to start your “give-what-you-can” monthly contribution today and join me in creating a world where everyone belongs.
Justice Matters acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation, now known as Australia, and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Until next time, thank you for subscribing and sharing this podcast with your friends.
Learn More — https://timothybuxton.com/podcasts
Support the Show — https://patreon.com/justicematters
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
Nick serves as a co-founder at Miles4Migrants, supporting the technology development that powers our mission. Nick also piloted the original idea of using points and miles to reunite families by flying the family of a Pakistani Christian personal friend in Europe. He later shared this idea on with other online reward point enthusiasts on Reddit, where Seth and Nick later sparked the movement.
Nick is passionate about developing technologies that bridge cultural boundaries and overcome language barriers to improve lives. Outside his work at Miles4Migrants, Nick is a natural language processing research scientist at Interactions, working on virtual assistants for customer care. Nick lives near New Providence, New Jersey with his wife Jennifer and his daughters, Julia and Chiara.
In this episode, we talk about the first rescue mission that sparked the idea of using flight miles to bring thousands more refugees and asylum seekers to safety. Additional topics we cover include:
- Taking an idea to starting an organisation
- The challenges that refugees and migrants face
- Language learning technology, and the social impact of AI
You can find Nick on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickruiz/ or follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/nickruiz.
To learn more about Miles4Migrants, visit their website https://miles4migrants.org and follow their Instagram https://www.instagram.com/miles4migrants/.
This podcast was produced by the master, himself, Jose Biotto… with a little help from me. The featured music is from the song “Turning Over Tables” by The Brilliance.
Lastly, to my Patreon Community out there… thank you so very much for your support and generosity, without you this podcast would not be possible. If you’d like to become a Patreon and get exclusive access to behind the scenes content visit Patreon.com/Justice Matters, to start your “give-what-you-can” monthly contribution today and join me in creating a world where everyone belongs.
Justice Matters acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation, now known as Australia, and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Until next time, thank you for subscribing and sharing this podcast with your friends.
Learn More — https://timothybuxton.com/podcasts
Support the Show — https://patreon.com/justicematters
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
Amanda is the founder of DISTRACTD, a brand new Gold Coast organisation connecting communities, delivering information, education, panel discussions, mingles and advocacy, all about ADHD.
Diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, she became hyper-focused on ensuring that there was a local organisation where people could come together and support one another, learn and break down some of the stigma around this hugely misunderstood disorder.
An eternal optimist, Amanda is the epitome of the term a ‘people person’. Driven by a passion to connect, promote, inspire and elevate those around her, Amanda has been nurturing partnerships for the Gold Coast Music Awards for the past decade.
As a passionate creative, Amanda has also spent many years working behind the scenes in stage productions, where she learned from an early age that side of stage and not centre stage was where her heart lay. She is the Co-founder and Business Development Director of the Gold Coast Music Network, as well as Blank Street Press.
Amanda has always been endlessly creative and draws inspiration constantly from the world around her. She creates works from contemporary ink pieces, along with children's illustrations to fine art sketches.
Amanda loves sharing a pot of Earl Grey or a cheeky G & T with the city’s bustling businesses who share a love of our unique and dynamic region’s ever growing creative scene.
In this episode, Amanda and I — in true ADHD fashion — bounce all over the place talking about our own personal challenges living with ADHD. Some of the topics we discuss include:
- ADHD in the workplace and how we can create a culture of belonging and equality for those with ADHD.
- The education system and how ADHD affects children and how we can create environments for everyone to learn.
- Insights into the brain of someone with ADHD.
- Starting DISTRACTD and the community and empowerment that is forming.
- Her TEDx Talk "Unleashing the artist within" — https://youtu.be/2AB0NBeTIjY
You can find Amanda on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-gorman-a7170987 or follow her on Instagram @amandagormanartist.
This podcast was produced by the master, himself, Jose Biotto… with a little help from me. The featured music is from the song “Turning Over Tables” by The Brilliance.
Lastly, to my Patreon Community out there… thank you so very much for your support and generosity, without you this podcast would not be possible. If you’d like to become a Patreon and get exclusive access to behind the scenes content visit www.Patreon.com/JusticeMatters, to start your “give-what-you-can” monthly contribution today and join me in creating a world where everyone belongs.
Justice Matters acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation, now known as Australia, and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Until next time, thank you for subscribing and sharing this podcast with your friends.
Learn More — https://timothybuxton.com/podcasts
Support the Show — https://patreon.com/justicematters
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
Jon Owen is the Pastor and CEO at Wayside Chapel, leading an incredible team of 140 staff and some 600 volunteers each week.
Jon has dedicated his life to closing the gap on inequality, both living and working amongst some of the most disadvantaged communities in Sydney and Melbourne. Jon is a qualified social worker and prior to Wayside, he built his way up through the organisation Urban Neighbourhoods of Hope, an international not-for-profit organisation specialising in community development and care coordination for families living in poverty. In this role, he shared his family home with those seeking asylum, refugees, people in recovery and ex-prisoners.
In this episode Jon and I danced around the theme and mission of Wayside — Creating a community of no ‘us and them’.
The topics we cover include:
- Serving from a place of self-awareness and not need
- Being real not ideal in our relationships and life
- Parenting and modelling healthy service
- Growing up in Australia as an immigrant
Throughout our talk I was challenged by what Jon shared... so much wisdom and so much truth. Enjoy!
You can learn more about the work of Wayside Chapel by visiting https://www.waysidechapel.org.au/.
You can also follow Jon on Instagram @waysidepastor & email him mail@thewaysidechapel.com
This podcast was produced by the master, himself, Jose Biotto… with a little help from me. The featured music is from the song “Turning Over Tables” by The Brilliance.
Lastly, to my Patreon Community out there… thank you so very much for your support and generosity, without you this podcast would not be possible. If you’d like to become a Patreon and get exclusive access to behind the scenes content visit Patreon dot come forward slash Justice Matters, to start your “give-what-you-can” monthly contribution today and join me in creating a world where everyone belongs.
Justice Matters acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation, now known as Australia, and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Until next time, thank you for subscribing and sharing this podcast with your friends.
Learn More — https://timothybuxton.com/podcasts
Support the Show — https://patreon.com/justicematters
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
In this episode of Justice Matters, I speak with Nicole Lamoureux, who is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC). She works with the NAFC and its 1,200 member organizations, its Board of Directors and its partners to advance the mission of ensuring the medically underserved have access to affordable, quality health care.
We discuss the following topics:
- Nicole's own personal health crisis and subsequent financial emergency.
- The profiteering and marketisation of the healthcare industry
- How to build a more equitable and effective healthcare system
- Why quality & affordable healthcare is a human right
- How we can all advocate and advance services that are addressing the healthcare crisis
Nicole believes we all have the capability to make the world a better place, that health care is a right and not a privilege, that our country must start putting people over politics, and that together we should make sure all people, regardless of their age, sex, income, education, ethnicity, color of skin, religion, sexual orientation or identity deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.
Nicole has testified before Congress, is a regular TV commentator – having been featured on MSNBC, FoxNews and the Dr. Oz Show to name a few – and has published numerous articles on the important role of America’s safety net and charitable care providers.
Nicole was named by the Nonprofit Times as one of the top 50 Most Influential and Powerful Nonprofit Executives in the USA. She received the Center of NonProfit EXCEL Award for Excellence in Executive Non-Profit Leadership.
Nicole holds a Master’s Degree in American Government and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Politics from The Catholic University of America and she resides in Alexandria, Virginia with her husband Mark.
This podcast was produced by the master, himself, Jose Biotto… with a little help from me. The featured music is from the song “Turning Over Tables” by The Brilliance.
Lastly, to my Patreon Community out there… thank you so very much for your support and generosity, without you this podcast would not be possible. If you’d like to become a Patreon and get exclusive access to behind the scenes content visit Patreon dot come forward slash Justice Matters, to start your “give-what-you-can” monthly contribution today and join me in creating a world where everyone belongs.
Justice Matters acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation, now known as Australia, and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Until next time, thank you for subscribing and sharing this podcast with your friends.
Learn More — https://timothybuxton.com/podcasts
Support the Show — https://patreon.com/justicematters
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
In this episode we chat with award-winning filmmaker (Writer/Producer/Director) , Bina Bhattacharya about her involvement in the soon to be released film, Here Out West. In the chapter Bina wrote for the film, she explores identity and assimilation of migrants through the story of a young woman who can’t communicate with her dying Indian father in his own language because she doesn’t know how. While the story is purely fictional, she draws from her own experience of coming from a mixed-race family, an Indian father and white mother, and not knowing her father’s Bengali language.
Bina shunned her Indian heritage when she was growing up in her need to ‘fit in’ with her Aussie friends, but she has gone on to deeply embrace and appreciate her cultural background as an adult. Bina believes deeply in the importance of learning the language of your origin and understands firsthand the losses experienced when this doesn’t happen. She explores how assimilation doesn’t need to mean giving up your heritage and explains from personal experience how much you can lose while trying to be a cool white kid in your teen years. Bina’s hope is that migrants who watch her chapter of the film will decide to learn or deepen their understanding of their parent’s language, that they will connect with their elders, and read the literature of their parents, so they can enjoy a truly
rich experience of multicultural life.
HERE OUT WEST will release in Australian cinemas nationally February 3, 2022 and on ABC later this year.
In this episode of the podcast we speak with screenwriter, actor, and all-round wonderful person, Nisrine Amine. Nisrine is a Lebanese Australian who joins us to talk about her latest film project, Here Out West. We chatted with Nisrine about how she became involved in the film, how she felt as she was making it, and what she learnt in the process.
Nisrine, who migrated from Lebanon when she was just three and a half, has always been fascinated with people and their stories. She has an innate love of drama and writing and drew from memories of wonderful neighbours from her early life to explore the possibility of relationships without language in this soon to be released film.
HERE OUT WEST will release in Australian cinemas nationally February 3, 2022 and on ABC later this year.
Councillor of Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) since 2012 and currently Deputy Mayor, Geoff McDonald has a strong commitment to fostering diversity in the Toowoomba region. In his first term of Council, he was able to bring the concept of Toowoomba Region becoming a Refugee Welcome Zone, making the city one of Australia’s leading regional models for embracing cultural diversity and living in peace and harmony.
In this episode, Geoff talks about the multiple initiatives and mechanisms that the Council have put in place to support the men, women and children who make Toowoomba their home, and to enable all to play a central role in the region. Once such initiative Geoff discusses is the establishment of Toowoomba’s first Multicultural Advisory Committee which provides a platform for community participation, advocacy and consultative action. The Committee was created with the aim of inform TRC’s continual improvement of support provided to culturally and linguistically diverse communities of Toowoomba region.
Join Deputy Mayor Geoff McDonald for a passionate discussion on how the Council is making Toowoomba a welcoming, vibrant and inclusive city for all.
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Social justice advocate Eakraj Adhikari moved from Nepal to Toowoomba in 2008, and spent two years as the leader of the local Nepalese community.
Eakraj shares his experiences in coming to Australia, including his run for local government, the cultural nuances in asking for help, and wrestling with the decision of whether to change the names of himself and his children.
Eakraj has seen the local Nepalese community grow from small to one of the most well established in Toowoomba–and now Nepalese locals play a significant role in reaching out to other migrant communities in the region. Not only that, but Toowoomba’s Nepalese community is seen as a leader amongst Nepalese migrants Australia-wide.
Join Eakraj for a frank discussion about navigating two cultures and the challenges migrants face when moving to Australia.
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Originally from far south west Queensland, Erin describes growing up in a country town with little cultural diversity (people from other countries), yet a strong Indigenous community (Bidjara people). Her first exposure to multiculturalism was when she moved to boarding school in Toowoomba. While some of Erin’s classmates were from Papuan New Guinea and Africa, it marked her that after finishing high school she knew very little about these places. This, to the young pre-service teacher, speaks to the assimilationist culture still alive in Australian communities.
In 2018, Erin started a Bachelor of Education majoring in teaching English as a second language. While studying, she started volunteering with the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) at TAFE and one-on-one tutoring when she got a life changing phone call from Yazda (Australia), an organisation which supports refugees. Having been an in-home ESL tutor for Yazidi families for the last two years helped Erin to overcome stereotypical images of people of the Middle East, and learn about the conflicts, struggles and cultures in the region. She is now dedicated to raising awareness on Yazidi people and the Kurdish people.
Erin believes in the significant role that education and education in languages can play in the lives of refugees. She looks forward to finishing her degree at the end of this year, and continuing study into the sociolinguistic side of learning a majority language as a refugee and the impact that has on maintaining one’s identity.
Professor Shahjahan Khan isn’t just an award-winning statistician who’s taught all around the world--he’s also a community leader who pioneered Toowoomba’s multi faith community.
Born in Bangladesh, Prof Khan studied in Canada before moving to Australia in 1992. Overall he’s worked in 10 different countries including Australia, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and South East Asia.
Yet his professional achievements, significant as they are, are overshadowed by his community work. As a leader in Toowoomba’s Islamic community, Prof Khan talks about the community spirit he’s witnessed amongst local multi faith leaders and the change he’s seen in Toowoomba as the city has welcomed refugees to their new home.
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Barbara Bluett is using her retirement to travel the world and offer love to those who need it most.
At an age where most Australians are putting their feet up, Barbara has been working in disaster relief in countries such as Iraq, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Japan and the Philippines. She's visited a total of 50 countries and once Australia's borders re-open she's keen to visit some more.
In the meantime, as the COVID-19 pandemic keeps her closer to home, Barbara's not wasting a moment. She's busy building connections with Toowoomba's Yazidi refugee families, some of whom she first met in Iraqi refugee camps. Barbara's motherly love has been a lifeline for women who have lost or been separated from their own families and support networks.
In this episode, Barbara explains how both everyday Aussies and the refugee community benefit from opening their hearts and homes to one another.
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Gitie House OAM has been a trailblazer in more ways than one in the 40-odd years since she arrived in Toowoomba.
Originally from New Delhi, India, Gitie had dreamed of becoming a physicist from the age of nine--and by the time she married an Australian man and moved to Brisbane in 1978, she was already half way through her masters. Gitie was devastated when her qualifications weren't recognised by the University of Queensland, so she and her husband soon moved to Toowoomba so she could attend what is now the University of Southern Queensland.
Used to the bustling streets of New Delhi--then with a population 12 million strong--Gitie's shift to Toowoomba came with some culture shock. She also suffered another disappointment--there were no courses available in physics. Gitie adapted and studied IT, and became the first programmer employed by USQ, and the second Indian person employed there.
In the years since, she has passionately served Toowoomba's rapidly growing multicultural community, as a President and Founding member of the Toowoomba International Multicultural Society and chair of the Toowoomba Languages & Cultures Festival. In 2017, Gitie was awarded the Medal of Order of Australia for her services to the community.
In this episode, Gitie describes her own experiences moving to a new country, and offers insight into how we can achieve social cohesion.
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What difference can someone with no skills or experience make in the lives of young refugees?
According to Andre, a lot! Working with Multicultural Australia, Andre supports young refugees in the Toowoomba community.
Andre’s interest in working with the refugee community began with her university degree in international studies, where she had the chance to study Middle Eastern history and politics. After several visits to Sri Lanka and the Middle East, Andre sought out volunteering opportunities with the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, before moving to Toowoomba in early 2020 for a job with Multicultural Australia.
During the Covid pandemic, Andre started out engaging with young refugees online, before opening a Youth Hub that young people could visit in person. Now, she works with 12-21 year-old former refugees to find employment pathways, improve their English skills and form community connections.
In this episode, Andre discusses the challenges that can make it more difficult for mainstream Australians and young refugees to form relationships, and ways to overcome them. She also talks about the volunteering opportunities available for someone who may not yet have experience working with refugees. Some of her most rewarding work has focused on encouraging social connections with young refugees and the Toowoomba community through art workshops, sport, English practice and the Bella Girls Program.
Andre’s story shows us how we may not need special skills to make a difference in a young life--just a willingness to learn, make mistakes, and try again!
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Mahsa joins host Sorgul Maho in this episode of "Who is My Neighbour?" podcast to discuss the contributions this young leader is making to the community. Born in Afghanistan and relocated to Pakistan before finally settling in Australia, Mahsa arrived here with no knowledge of English. Through dedication, community engagement and volunteering, the grade 11 Fairholme College student has aspirations to become a medical doctor and to engage in politics.
Mahsa prides herself on belonging to the Toowoomba region as it is centred around diversity and a strong sense of belonging. With energy, enthusiasm and determination, she advocates for a number of important issues to her generation via different platforms. Whether through her participation in the Queensland Youth Parliament, or the TRC Youth Leaders Network, her aim is to support her peers, bring the voice of her generation to decision makers and to initiate positive change.
Thanks to her multilingual background, Mahsa utilises her linguistic assets to host several radio programs in different languages. For her, it is essential that people with limited English language proficiency have access to information in their first language.
When Mahsa is not wearing her civic, political activist or high school student hats, she undertakes Head Start courses designed for high achieving high school students to have a taste of university study. Join the conversation today to learn more about Mahsa’s journey and the story of a future leader in the making.
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Learn More — youBelong.org.au
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Rahila Abdul Hadi is a second-year student of Law at QUT. Originally from Afghanistan, but was born and raised in Pakistan, where spent ten years as a refugee. In 2014 she moved to Australia, where her appreciation grew for how welcoming Australia has been to her and her family. An innately talented artist, Rahila developed her drawing skills during her first year of transition to life in Australia and became passionate about politics. She hopes through these venues she can give back to the community. Some of Rahila's art features in Toowoomba's public spaces, making her the youngest artist contributing to the "Women at Work" Project.
For Rahila, each one has a story. Join us in discovering this passionate young woman's story as she shares some of the strategies that made her feel welcome in the community.
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Jennifer (also known to the locals as Jenny) wears a couple of different hats in the Toowoomba community. She is the CEO of the Student Guild at the University of Southern Queensland and the Owner and Director of Bonjour Toowoomba Language Centre. Through Bonjour Toowoomba, Jenny offers the opportunity to learn over 18 different foreign languages to ages ranging from six months old to seventy plus, in a fun and social setting.
Leaving her small country town Kingaroy to go to university opened up Jenny’s world to meeting people from different countries and cultures. This experience triggered an awakening where Jenny realised there was a lot more to learn. Ever since, she developed a strong passion for inclusion and diversity.
For Jenny, Bonjour Toowoomba reflects the linguistic and cultural diversity of the region. Whether the intention is to travel, work overseas, have a hobby or to support refugees who choose to make Toowoomba a home, there is a place for everyone to learn a language. Jenny shares some secrets to making language learning fun but most importantly a tool to connect with people from diverse backgrounds. Join us today, where Jenni inspires us to broaden our perspective, connect with another culture, and meet others while having fun.
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Farhan and his family arrived in Australia as refugees in 2018 after fleeing the civil wars in his home country, Iraq. Upon arriving in Australia, Farhan spoke minimal English, which he explains made settling in this new country and culture challenging, not only for him but his whole family.
With a passion for languages, Farhan took every opportunity he could to speak and listen to English. He watched movies, read books, and made friends with native speakers who assisted him by speaking slowly and clearly. From here, Farhan has soared. He has graduated from high school and is now studying English Language at the University of Southern Queensland, working towards a law degree.
Join the conversation today as we discuss the connections between people who do not speak a word of each other's language. The friendships he has witnessed and experienced that are built beyond words. We learn of Farhan’s dreams for the future, which include writing a book. Today is an inspiring conversation where we learn from one young man that success comes from those moments we have given up, then tried again. Farhan shows us that the limitations and difficulties we have faced in our past will not determine who we become in the future.
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Victoria (Tori) Wilson’s passion is teaching English for Academic Purposes (EAP) to non-native speakers from different nationalities, including Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. But it is her own experience of a traumatic event overseas which brought a higher level of understanding of the challenges that her students face, particularly those from a refugee background.
With a gap in both research and practice on trauma-informed English language instruction for adults, Tori has carved a space to make a difference for her refugee students as well as staff involved in supporting these students. For her, it is important to change the “deficit” attitudes towards refugee students.
Tori is currently collaborating with one of her refugee students on a book chapter on refugees in higher education. For her, it is essential to create a context of trauma recovery based on four elements based on the work of Derrick Silove.
To learn more about these elements and the actions we can take to get to know each other better, join us and Tori in this episode of “Who is My Neighbour”.
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Banyas is cycling 80 kms during World Refugee Week as part of the Bike to Belong Challenge to raise awareness and support for the millions displaced around our Globe.
Being coached by two Australian Olympians, Jordan & Alyce Wood, Bunyas and her brother, Hakar, are busy training for the challenge. Before joining team "Toowoomba to Tokyo", she had never ridden bicycles before, so this has made the challenge even more exciting.
Banyas and her family are refugees from Iraq and arrived in Australia on the 25th of March, 2019. Although being in Australia offered them a life of peace and safety, Banyas and her family have found it difficult starting up their life again, not understanding the language or the culture.
Nobody in Banya’s family knew English when they arrived as their school in Iraq did not teach English. This is the reality for many refugees who come to Australia, English is completely foreign to them.
Before attending mainstream classes in public school, Banyas was enrolled into an English Language Program to prepare her for entering mainstream schooling. Banyas needed to pass six levels of English and now is in year 11 at Toowoomba High School. Her goal is to graduate and study Information Technology at university.
Outside of her studies, Bunyas uses her English to help others in her community by volunteering for You Belong as a translator and assisting in the classes You Belong offer. Alongside this, she attends home visits that offer support to other newly arrived families.
Over the conversation, we learn that Banyas has not made many relationships with other students at her school, and Warren and Sorgal ask what it would be like if they would like to get to know her family more. In the process, Warren gets himself invited over for the Yazidi New Year celebration and Banyas explains that her family loves sharing meals with others and meeting new people.
Banyas believes that by making friends with those from other backgrounds she will learn more about living here and hopes she can share her knowledge of her life and culture as well.
Join us and Banyas in this episode of “Who is My Neighbor” as we discover the little actions we can take to get to know each other better and how you can join us in the Bike to Belong Challenge coming up this World Refugee Week — June 13-20, 2021.
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Jude Kalman is an independent film maker from the Gold Coast whose documentaries have featured nationally on Channel Nine, at the 2017 Gold Coast Film Festival, and the 2019 LAMPA International Film Festival (Russia).
Working for an award-winning boutique agency since 2007 enabled her to hone her craft, diversify her skill set and deliver exceptional multimedia and film for multiple platforms and audiences. She’s won an Australian Cinematographers Society Award for her work on Swell Sculpture Festival, was a Gold Coast Music Award finalist for co-directing Amy Shark’s music video “Weekends” and her self-funded trip to Nigeria to produce “Uncontained Love: Love > Fear” won the 2018 CMAA award for Compelling Film / TV / Video Content. In 2020, she was awarded the Graham Wade Pilgrim Media Prize for her portfolio of work in Mozambique with charity Mission Educate.
In February 2020, Jude was invited to speak at the United Nations' 58th Commission for Social Development on "Social Impact Films as a means to Promoting Inclusion", in conjunction with the screening of the film she produced and directed about Mission Educate. FishFilms was formed to drive her work with NGOs, charities and social enterprises toward the forefront as she seeks to tell “people stories” that inspire and connect humanity.
You can learn more about her work and her new venture Fish Films by visiting www.fishfilms.com.au. You can also reach out to Jude and follow her on twitter @judefishfilms
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In this episode of Who is my Neighbour, we meet Kemo.
From Shingal, Northern Iraq, Kemo worked as a teacher to high school and primary school students, spending his holidays working for Save the Children. He tells of his home city Shingal and how it often faced war, forcing people to flee their homes. The trust Kemo built with his students allowed him to provide a place in his classroom where they could discuss their mental health, which many struggled with as a result of the war.
Kemo and his family arrived as refugees in Australia just over one ago. He lives in Toowoomba with his mother, father, two sisters, and brother. This past year they all had to adapt to a new way of life, culture, and language. Together they have created a home in their community where his father, siblings, and himself attend TAFE or High school. The family participates in community events and weekly activities provided by organisation You Belong, which offers the opportunity to meet others, practice their English and share stories.
Kemo has the heart to help others and to keep teaching. He has a goal of one day becoming a University Professor.
Join Sorgul and Warren in their conversation with Kemo, the first of many in this series of ‘Who is my Neighbour?’
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Introducing Sorgul, one of our hosts for our upcoming 'Who is my neighbour' podcast series. Over this series, Sorgul and Warren will be having conversations with refugees who now call our community home. But before we begin, let's meet our hosts.
In this episode, Sorgul shares her story of how in 2018, she arrived in Australia as a refugee from Northern Syria. Sorgul was halfway through her English language and literature studies when civil war came through her city, forcing her and her family to drop everything and flee to Turkey, where they lived for four years before arriving in Australia.
On the 18-hour flight to Australia, Sorgul was full of questions about what life would be like here. Will she have an opportunity to study? Now, less than three years since her arrival, Sourghal is studying International Relations at USQ and has started a business with a friend translating official forms and supporting refugees in moving toward the life they want to live here in Australia.
Among other things, Sorgul offers support to other Kurdish students like her studying at the university. She also teaches Kurdish language classes. She says it is warming how many people are eager to learn a language they have never heard to better communicate with the Kurdish people in their communities.
Although Sorgul arrived in Australia speaking and understanding English, the settling process still came with its difficulties. She explains that there were days that she gave up. Then the following day, she would get up and start again. She says she had no idea where the power came from. Now she wants to help others find their way here.
Sorgul is excited to meet other refugees and learn with you their stories of where they have come from and where they are now. Join Sorgal and Warren of you belong in this series of Who is my neighbour.
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Join us as Tim Buxton introduces Warren, one of the hosts for our upcoming 'Who is my neighbour' podcast series. Over this series, Warren and Sorgal will be having conversations with refugees who now call our community home. But before we begin, let's meet our hosts.
Warren has spent many years experiencing life in other cultures and learning new languages. As a teenager, he spent a year in Panama on a foreign exchange trip, arriving not knowing a word of Spanish, living with a family who did not speak a word of English. He tells how the experience of being a foreigner can be confronting and confusing and left a lasting impression on him as a young person.
Years later, he moved to Japan with his family, where he worked teaching English. He talks about the challenges one faces as an adult learning and mastering a new language beyond just getting by.
Warren has worked teaching English as a second language for over 25 years. Due to his time of teaching, learning and living in different cultures, he has great appreciation for those refugees having coming from difficult situations who now have to go through the process of learning a foreign language.
Warren now teaches English for You Belong. He describes it as a great way to meet people who have lived different experiences than himself. He sees it as an opportunity to witness his world through the eyes of another.
Warren is looking forward to meeting all the guests over the Who is My Neighbour podcast series. He is passionate about others, their experiences and how we can all learn from one another through the stories we share.
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“Who Is My Neighbour?” is a podcast by You Belong Australia. Each episode you’ll join with Sorgul & Warren to meet some of Australia’s newest neighbours. You’ll hear their stories, listen to their hopes and dreams, and discover the incredible courage and inspiration they bring to our communities and richly diverse Australian culture. You’ll also learn from some more established Aussies too and the joy they’ve found living and working alongside our refugee & migrant background neighbours.
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