Kaleidoscope Australia Human Rights Foundation

❓How do you create safe spaces within mental health sectors for queer forcibly displaced folks is what I was asked last night at a panel by Pride Foundation Australia and Kaleidoscope Australia Human Rights Foundation and my answer was not what you might expect. 🗣️I simply said, you can’t. However, you can start by realising that safety is an illusion and for some, not accessible. And so, we need to strive to create safe enough for folks to start to learn, relearn and even befriend safety (not everyone has had the opportunity to do this!). I also shared Dr. Resmaa Menakem’s brilliant quote about decontextualising trauma: “Trauma decontextualized in a person looks like personality. Trauma decontextualized in a family looks like family traits. Trauma in a people looks like culture” this reminds us that we need to contextualise trauma, safety, unsafety, joy, distress and the other human experiences through anti-colonial and anti-oppressive lenses that don’t centre colonial versions of regulation, mental health and safety ✊🏽 It was such a pleasure (as always) to share the space with Dr Renee Dixson, Anastasia Le, and Letitia Akumu led by Mikhael Touma supported by the wonderful Ruth McNair AM, Paula Gerber and Ayan ('aw-yo-n’) Dasvarma all of who I continue to learn from and build communities with 🫶🏾

What an amazing start to the week! Thank you Pride Foundation Australia and Kaleidoscope Australia Human Rights Foundation for organising such a powerful panel, centring lived experience at the intersections of LGBTIQA+ and forcibly displaced communities. It was an honour to sit alongside peers, friends, and colleagues Dr Renee Dixson (Forcibly Displaced People Network Ltd ), Mish Kumar-Jonson (The Iceberg Foundation ), Deborah Letitia Akumu (Many Coloured Sky ), and Mikhael Touma (@Language Justice network). And to be held by leaders Ruth McNair AM , Paula Gerber , and Ayan ('aw-yo-n’) Dasvarma , whose commitment to human rights and integrity in practice continues to move our collective work forward. Deep appreciation to Gilbert + Tobin for supporting this vital dialogue on human rights, philanthropy, and inclusion. When corporate partners invest meaningfully in equity, they help turn lived experience into meaningful change. It was heartening to see the presence of peak bodies, including those from Settlement Council of Australia and Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, as well as State and Federal MPs and government representatives who took the time to listen deeply. Your attendance matters. It signals that change is possible when institutions engage with truth. I was asked about how to embed intersectionality into #HR and #Employment at a national policy level. There is much to be done, and it requires accountability, cross-sector collaboration, ethics-centred audits, and trust-based reform. It means reimagining how recruitment, development, progression, retention, and pathways are designed and governed. Some key reflections to take home: 1️⃣ Shift from “advisory/ consulting” to “co-governance.” One extracts stories; the other shares power. The closer decision-making sits to community, the closer we move toward justice. 2️⃣ Workforce development must integrate ethics, cohesion, and relational trust as part of governance compliance and leadership review. High performance cannot be sustained without psychological safety and cultural coherence. Culture without reinforcement is just theatre. 3️⃣ Employment is an ecosystem, not a linear route. Trauma-informed practice must be embedded across every stage of an employee’s journey: from recruitment to leadership. 4️⃣ Decode system languages. For marginalised communities to survive and thrive, leaders must help their people navigate institutional codes and break down employment barriers. Equality and Equity literacy IS systems literacy. #sogiesc #lgbtiqa #forciblydisplaced #lgbtiqa #HumanRights #SocialCohesion #EmploymentEquity #Intersectionality #Leadership #TraumaInformed #WorkplaceEquity #Governance #resettlement