FACE UP TO RACISM

SBS Documentary

Hosted by Ray Martin, veteran Gold Logie winning Australian television journalist, Yassmin Abdel-Magied, Sudanese-Australian mechanical engineer, social advocate, writer & Queensland’s Young Australian of the Year & Zambian born Santilla Chingaipe, SBS’s award winning journalist, deliver a revealing look into country’s attitudes in a series of special programming putting the spotlight on racism and prejudice in Australia today.

The survey was undertaken for the documentary as a part of Face Up To Racism week in which SBS explores, magnifies and challenges Australia’s understanding of racism and prejudice. The survey’s key findings were alarming. One in five Australians have experienced racism in the last 12 months according to one of the biggest ever surveys conducted on racism and prejudice in Australia. That’s similar to one in four mental health problems in Australia. It may not be related or the only cause for the most stigmatized illness, but the effect is indisputable.

Ray Martin believes Australia has grown up a lot since he was a kid in NSW and the attitudes towards indigenous people and immigrants had changed dramatically, but said there was room for improvement.

“I believed the issues our indigenous people face is more about neglect rather than deliberate racism,” he said.

“I think Australians are ignorant, not racist, and if this program shines a light into that dark corner then that’s a good thing.”

The show was shocking and confrontational at times and undoubtedly this might open the doors for sweeping discussions to emerge and obviously, change people’s perceptions about racism. I wasn’t baffled to see all the familiar comments and rages; in my life time, I’ve seen it all, but find it hard to believe these days in age this social cancer still lingers. So, to lessen or eliminate it from our way of life, the best way would be to train our brain.

Our brain has its own unique way of healing. It can change itself; it can create new neural pathways to adapt to its needs. Scientists now know that the brain has an amazing ability to change and heal itself in response to mental experience. This phenomenon, known as neuroplasticity, is considered to be one of the most important developments in modern science for our understanding of the mind. It’s the brain’s ability to change in response to incentives and any experiences we encounter in our lives.

“No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” –NELSON MANDELA
Let’s embrace our diversity!