African professionals, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community members and workplace allies gathered at the Arts & Cultural Exchange in Parramatta on 23 September 2026 for Bring Your Whole Self to Work, an event focused on workplace belonging, professional identity, visibility and career progression. Hosted by African Professionals of Australia (APA) NSW, the evening combined a keynote address, panel discussion, cultural performances and networking.
The discussion centred on a question with direct economic consequences: how can African and other multicultural professionals build successful careers without feeling pressured to minimise their identity? The organisers framed the theme around the idea that “belonging at work starts with understanding yourself first,” encouraging participants to consider their values, career objectives and the type of workplace in which they can contribute most effectively.
That focus comes at a time when Australia is placing greater attention on improving employment participation among African Australians. The federal African Australian Communities Program includes employment services and employment opportunities designed to respond to the specific needs of African Australians, recognising participation in the workforce as an important part of integration and community development. The program has allocated up to $20 million over four years from 2025–26 to 2028–29 across several areas of community support.
Panelists at the Arts and Cultural Exchange
For professionals, economic empowerment involves more than obtaining a job. It also includes progressing into positions that match qualifications and experience, developing professional networks, accessing leadership opportunities and being able to use one’s skills fully. Jobs and Skills Australia has identified the need to improve the alignment between education, migration and workforce pathways and to reduce barriers that prevent people from fully participating in Australia’s labour market.
The evening brought those issues into personal and practical terms through a panel featuring Angela Johnston, Mantej Singh, Sudesh Dahiya, Bishop Laryea, Shazya Khan and Noël Zihabamwe, moderated by Danai Rose Makoni, with Zita Arends delivering the keynote. According to the event organisers, the panellists shared “real, lived experience, their career journeys, the pathway to success and what belonging to yourself first really means.”
The event also created space for professional development alongside cultural connection, with African food, drumming and dancing, head wrapping and access to the African Youth Library forming part of the evening. That combination matters for community economic participation because professional networks are often built through informal relationships as much as formal career programs. APA describes its wider role as connecting African professionals with people, pathways and resources for career progression, enterprise and leadership across Australia.
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The wider lesson from the Parramatta gathering is that workplace inclusion can have an economic dimension: when professionals have access to networks, recognition and environments where they can contribute fully, the benefits can extend to individual careers and the wider community. The organisers captured that ambition in the night’s central message: “When you can answer these questions, you are better placed to recognise the right working environment for you and to bring real value to the workplace once you’re in it.” For African communities, creating those conditions can mean stronger career progression, greater use of professional skills and broader participation in Australia’s economy.
J.D Sharady | AMA contributor
