By Gracia Mukiibi | AMA contributor
The recent, heartbreaking events surrounding the late Professor Jason Arday in the UK and human rights advocate Nyadol Nyuon in Australia have weighed heavily on my mind. They serve as a painful reminder that even when marginalised voices are given a platform, systemic narratives often dictate how far those voices can go—and the personal cost of speaking out remains devastatingly high.
As a human rights advocate myself, it is deeply confronting that in the 21st century, race remains such a profound dividing line. My own journey began when I migrated to Australia at 13. I will forever be grateful for the opportunities this country has afforded me, which inspired my lifelong commitment to give back. But gratitude does not erase reality: racism is far from over.
Nyadol Nyuen speaking on ABC
I still remember the sting of high school—watching a close friend get unjustly targeted on the school bus simply because she was Black. I remember the frustration in Year 10 when a peer copied my assignment, only to receive a 99% while my original work scored short of 90%. As for the subtle and overt biases encountered in the workplace? That is an entirely separate, deeply entrenched chapter.
Today, I am raising my own children here. I also mentor young people who were born in Australia. Because this is the only home they have ever known, they have grown up with a beautiful, instinctual belief that they belong.
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But I carry a quiet fear. How will they cope when they face a system that abruptly reminds them of the contrary? How do we prepare the next generation for a reality where their sense of belonging is still treated as conditional?
Confronting systemic racism is not a battle for a select few—it is a collective responsibility. We must keep pushing until our systems, our institutions, and our society value people entirely for who they are, free from the bias of skin colour.
About the Author
Gracia Mukiibi is Perth-based Pastor, Principal Consultant, Author, Human Rights Advocate
