ADVOCACY

Can we truly decolonise the institutional systems built to enforce colonial power, or are we just reshaping the same oppressive structures? At WIPCE, speakers confronted this question head-on. Their words ignited the disruptor in me by challenging not only systems but also the ways we show up within them.

WIPCE 2025 was more than a conference; it was a moment in time - a gathering of Indigenous Peoples from across the globe and a pivotal milestone in my own decolonisation journey. For the first time, it felt like all my worlds came together: culture, education, dance, ceremony, storytelling, prayer, healing, spirituality, decolonisation, and social justice.

Say Our Names is a powerful mini-documentary featuring members of the UTS community whose names are often considered "tricky" or "foreign" in Anglo-Australian contexts. Through deeply personal stories, the film explores the impact of name mispronunciation in educational and social settings.

Growing up in Australia as part of diasporic migrant communities comes with its joys and complexities. Friends and colleagues Christine Afoa and Leah Subijano sat down to discuss their journeys in exploring culture and identity as first-generation, millennial, brown island women. 

Culturally and racially marginalised (CARM) women are underrepresented in key decision-making roles across almost all industries in the Australian workforce. In this session, the panel discusses how we can bridge the cultural gender gap in leadership.