Episode 7 - Sitting in discomfort to end racism with Emma Fitzgerald.

In this episode of The Lawyering Podcast, I discuss the difficult and uncomfortable topic of racism. 

In this episode I talk about:

• I discuss why the topic of racism is uncomfortable, and why we need to be uncomfortable to spark change. 
• I am bi-racial but white passing which has come with its challenges but also privileges. 
• The impact of microaggressions and unintentional racial comments.
• My childhood experience of racism.
• My mother was born in Pakistan and is also Indian.
• My Father is part Irish and we learnt that he has Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage which was hidden in his family’s past.
• My paternal grandmother’s traumatic life being sent away from her family and the impacts: intergenerational trauma.
• My own struggle to become accepted.
• The silence in my own education in regards to the aboriginal massacres which took place in Australia.
• As lawyers, we are part of the system that has perpetuated racism, and have a responsibility to make change.
• We all need to listen and learn about the true history of Australia.
• As lawyers, we are in a position that allows us to be part of the change.

Sit back, listen and learn as I share my own journey of racism, both internalised and from others.

Links:

Lorena Alam, The killing times: the massacres of Aboriginal people Australia must confront,