Tabitha has kindly allowed us to share her words with you surrounding Invasion Day / Amnesia Day. She will be releasing an article for another publication soon, which we will link here. We hope you can show your support by following her and reading her work in the future.
With love, GLASS.
Tabitha Lean (@haveachattabs) on how allies can support First Nations on January 26th:
With amnesia day fast approaching, people often ask what they can do as allies to support Aboriginal people. I’ve come up with a few suggestions (by no means is this list exhaustive!), including ways to pay the rent:
#1 Contribute to the “Free Her” campaign by Deb Kilroy which pays off the court debts of Aboriginal women incarcerated in Western Australia for defaulting on fines. Poverty must never be a crime.
#2 Donate to Deadly Science which provides books and equipment to our remote schools, helping developing a love of science and grow future scientists.
You can donate money, or even sponsor a Deadly Junior Scientist award:
View this post on Instagram
#3 Buy from blak businesses.
Here’s just a few: Haus of Dizzy, Lake Tyrrell Art, Kookoorniny Koondarms “Beautiful Dreams”, The Koorie Circle Earrings, Bush Medijina, Brandi Rose, Murri Menu, Wangullay Art- Raelamo, ginnysgirlgang, Andos Art, Gunditj Art- Shane Lovett, Clothing The Gap. Note: Stay updated for a more in-depth post!
#4 Donate to The Purple House, a health centre run by and for people from remote communities – getting people home to country and family.
#5 Give to the UQ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scholarship fund. Every gift contributes to supporting blak excellence.
Note from GLASS: QUT’s programs are funded by the university and the Oodgeroo Unit. Various programs support research and innovation including the Indigenous Research and Engagement Unit and the National Indigenous Research and Knowledges Network (NIRAKN).
#6 Send toothbrushes and toothpaste to Maningrida’s appeal: Babbarra Women’s Centre-PMB 102,WinnellieNT 0822, Australia.
#7 Challenge that racist uncle at your next BBQ. You don’t need to be aggressive, but every time we say nothing in the face of racism, we are silently siding with them.
#8 Attend a Survival Day gathering.
#9 Buy a T-shirt or mug from Red Bubble created by talented designer, Kira Djnalie: “Captain Cook was cooked!”, or “I live on stolen land”.
View this post on Instagram
#10 Now that Dutton has declared war on Bruce Pascoe, you could show your support for Bruce and buy his brilliant book “Dark Emu”.
#11 Contribute to the campaign to support First Nation mob affected by the bush fire crisis.
Here’s a couple:
– South Coast Bush Fire Relief & Recovery Service GoFundMe
– Indigenous Crisis Response
– Fire Relief Fund for First Nations Communities
#12 Turn up for black fullas and weaponise whatever privileges you have access to. More than often privileges are simple things like time, access to venues, access to content, having a platform that you can share.
#13 Donate here, fundraising to provide mob with awesome T-shirts to wear on Invasion Day.
#14 Support First Nations young people leading action on the Climate Crisis.
#15 If you’re going away for the long weekend, try to find Aboriginal owned tour companies, and make sure you find out who’s nation you are travelling to.
#16 Listen to and centre First Nation voices and knowledges and respect their views.
#17 Learn your rights as a bystander, if you see mob being harassed by the police, observers can use the cop watch video recorder to record interactions safely (source: Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance – WAR).
#18 Buy the T-shirt “We will not stop, We won’t go away, We will never celebrate invasion day” with 100% of the money is going to the First People of the Mellewa Mallee men’s and women’s groups.
View this post on Instagram
#19 Listen to blak podcasts. My fave is Wild Black Women.
#20 Be open to unlearning all the rubbish that’s been taught and spoken and written about Aboriginal people and stop expecting emotional labour from First Nations mob.
View this post on Instagram
