Black Lives Matter

In case you missed our recent series of Tweets @BSEMaus regarding the #BlackLivesMatter and #AboriginalLivesMatter protest movement, we are sharing them again here. BSEM will always have a focus on contributing to collaborative efforts to make a positive difference in the lives of Aboriginal Australians and other marginalised groups. We are always interested in hearing from schools about the work you are doing in this space. Please contact us if you have thoughts, ideas or initiatives you would like to share with us or if you want to join us in this continuing conversation.

The Berry Street Education Model stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the USA and across the world.

Black Lives Matter, Aboriginal Lives Matter. Following the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody in 1991, 432 Aboriginal people have died in custody – with justice never to be served for one person. If you would like to know more about the Australian context we recommend this powerful article from Celeste Liddle.

We are painfully aware of the structural nature of the problems we face in our justice systems in Australia. The Uluru Statement from the Heart speaks of the impact of this more eloquently than we ever could.

Trauma is systemic and until systems change, the lives of the marginalised do not change. This requires the reflection and dismantling of racist systems and structures. Berry Street works with vulnerable young people who have experienced significant trauma and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young peoples are significantly over represented in all areas of our work. We support the systemic change that needs to occur and remain committed to establishing an organisation where reconciliation lives in the hearts, minds and actions of all our teams.

At BSEM we are constantly striving to listen to and learn from people of colour, to acknowledge and understand their experiences of the world, and to always reflect and change our practices to best serve schools and educators in their efforts for change and to best meet the needs of all young people.

Finally, we would like to amplify some other important voices that can help us learn as we all work together to support this movement for change.

Magabala books is an Aboriginal owned and led publishing company that can point you to some excellent texts and resources.

Join in the conversation on Twitter at @BSEMaus