Collected video stories of identity, connection and belonging by First Nations, Settlers and Migrants from downunder the rainbow.
As response to Voice Referendum 23, Global Engagement in Friendlier Neighbourhoods (GEIFN) and I’m From Driftwood (IFD) aim to showcase diverse Australian views by sourcing and producing 8-10min 1st-Person Video Stories of LGBTQIA+ Folk from around Australia.
Recordings will be hosted individually on IFD website for global audience and matched with 2 others on GEIFN website for local audience.
GEIFN’s Potential Top 5 Talking Points to offer insights, answers and views to question “What does Reconciliation look like to you?":
- What did the coming out process look like for you?
- How did being LGBTQIA+ teach you about your family, community and the world?
- Where is your gift of being LGBTQIA+ been used in personal, professional or public life?
- Who is your message of reconciliation to?
- Why should Australia be a place, position and player on a spherical global playing field?
IFD's existing Australian content is 12 stories, all by cis-gender males. This project is encouraging Australian-residing LGBTQIA+ Women or Women-identifying, First Nations, People of Colour/Migrants. Together, a diversity of ages, genders, views, wisdom and compassion strengthen any reconciliation.
If you or someone you know fit the description and wish to be a part of this reconciliation
project, please contact Carey on 0438 371 488 or caretaker@geifn.org
Primary Collaborator
I’m From Driftwood (IFD) is delivered digitally through a cloud-based multi-channel platform to a broad-based audience developed over the past 15 years. Part of this conversation and active enthusiasts since the conception.
Quoting from IFD website:
The stories on I’m From Driftwood send a powerful message to LGBTQIA+ people everywhere: you exist, you matter, you belong.IFD’s collection of more than 1,400 professionally-produced videos and user-submitted written oral histories are shared freely online – giving voice to and forging connections among often marginalized or silenced people, educating people about the joys and challenges, complexities and intersectionalities of LGBTQIA+ lives, and increasing empathy in IFD viewers.
Some existing IFD examples:
- ImFromDriftwood: Carlo’s Gay, Catholic and Still Wanting to Have a Family. It’s Just Going to Look Different (6 mins).
- ImFromDriftwood: Charlotte’s Coming Out Is An Act Of Activism. Reflections On Being Out In The Workplace (6 mins)
- ImFromDriftwood: Homophobic Experience at Medical Center Leads Trans Student to Change Entire Life Path (8 mins)
How to Reconcile
Language is an interesting thing. It can be used to educate, mystify, divide, harm or heal. English is a particularly interesting example.
The English language has 26 letters (written symbols) but it makes over 44 different sounds (syllables) and countless compound ideas (words). All relying on ‘learnt, practised or assumed knowledge' to correctly use, prevailing cognizance (ability to independently critically think), pronounce, know and then to respond.
To make things even more interesting, English is always changing, borrowing from many other languages with meanings that may change over time.
Let's look at the word "reconcile":
[reh’con’syle]
From late Middle English: from Old French reconcilier or Latin reconciliare, from Latin re- = back, concentrate, focus + conciliare = bring together.
verb
- restore friendly relations between. Ie, the monarch and the archbishop were publicly reconciled. Ie, they wanted to be reconciled with their father.
- settle (a quarrel). Ie, advice on how to reconcile the conflict.
- make or show to be compatible. Ie, the agreement had to be reconciled with the city's new international relations policy.
- someone accepting a disagreeable or unwelcome thing. Ie, the team was reconciled to the poor match result.
- make (one account) consistent with another, especially by allowing for transactions begun but not yet completed. Ie, it is not necessary to reconcile the cost accounts to the financial accounts.
And this is just 1 word. Languages are made of many words. Words connected by space(s) make sentences. Sentences connected by space(s) make paragraphs. Paragraphs connected by space(s) make narratives or stories. Stories connected by space(s) make story books. Story books connected by space(s) mark time and are called tradition. This is the process of transmission. Transmission can be verbal, physical, formless or abiding in the space between.
Please find examples of other words (and if needed translations in other languages):
So back to this case: collected video stories of identity, connection and belonging by First Nations, Settlers and Migrants Downunder the Rainbow.
How to get involved?
- Fit the criteria, sorted something out, feeling crazy-brave? Volunteer to tell your story and make contact on the details below.
- Pass the word to someone you know has a reconcilingly good story to tell.
- Share the message through your socials.
MORE:
Global Engagement In Friendlier Neighbourhoods (GEIFN)
Join us with 'humanising the other'
Carey Rohrlach (he/him), AUSSIEstory Team Member, Tel 0438 371 488
GEIFN is based in the traditional lands of the Kulin Nation. Respect is offered to past, present and future elders of all spiritual traditions. May we find together a generous way to accommodate those in need of refuge. Let us be cool, strive individually and together to overcome inequality, violence, disengagement, tragedy and injustice wherever it may be. Let us honour, savor and enjoy results of mindful effort so more thrive peacefully with less effort in our place called home.
