LT – Black Power: Queer & Trans Liberation & Free West Papua

Murri Country

In this special LIVE episode of Let’s Talk – Black Power, Ruby kicks off with a chat with fellow ‘Black-queer-nepo-baby’ Matt Bond (he/him). Matt is a Munanjahli, Bidjara and South Sea Islander young person and the second eldest of five children. He graduated from Glenala High in 2022 and has undertaken work with Inala Wangarra on ‘Fashion gone wild’ and ‘Sparkle Mob’ to support young creatives to live their best life. Matt’s career goals are to become a youth worker, using his own journey to help others on theirs. Ruby & Matt talk through the intersections of being Black, Queer & Trans in the colony: the strength that comes from family and community, the power of refusing to accept narrow colonial confines of identity and belonging, and the joy of living creatively, playfully, and fearlessly.

In the second half of this episode, Ruby and Matt catch up with West Papuan organiser and student Beri, to learn a bit about the upcoming West Papuan Film Festival and the importance of Black Power movements that connect Indigenous peoples’ across the globe. The film festival will showcase 3 short films made about the West Papuan struggle and tenacity, outlining the damaging effects of ecocide, land theft and military occupation. There will be a panel after the showing featuring Ukam, one the stars of “HIPHOP Papua’, the featured film of the night. He will give his perspective on using music as a tool for resistance, alongside other first nations artists using hip-hop to stand up and protest.

The festival is free for First Nations people & Papuan community, so we warmly encourage you to come along and bring your friends! Listen to the stories of West Papuans in the midst of occupation and direct violence, and witness their resilience and their fight to Save West Papua. This night will feature live performances from Ukam and other first nations artists and poets, as well as artworks on canvas created by Nesian artists. Papuan food will be served.

All donations collected on the night will go to IDPs (Internationally Displaced Persons) of West Papua.

There are still tickets available for the Film Festival, which is on Sunday 14th April from 5pm – 10pm at VENTspace in South Brisbane. Further details here: West Papua Film Festival | Humanitix

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