Dear friend.
The School Strike 4 Climate Australia Network acknowledges that we organise and meet on stolen Aboriginal land and that sovereignty was never ceded. We recognise and extend our solidarity to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and all people of colour who are reading this email.
As #BlackLivesMatter protests and calls for justice grow after recent tragic events in the US, we must not ignore the racism and deep injustices happening here in Australia on stolen land. The devastating reality: since a royal commission in 1991, over 400 Aboriginal people have been killed in police custody.*
We, among so many Australians, feel ashamed that this has been allowed to take place. We are angry at our Government for failing to do anywhere near enough to tackle these injustices. We refuse to stay silent about the immense mistreatment and inequality towards Indigenous Australians. Silence is siding with the oppressors. Aboriginal Australians are dying at infancy, dying in custody, dying decades before non-indigenous people. None of us can stay silent.
We’re writing today to ask everyone in the School Strike 4 Climate Australia movement to join us in calling for justice for First Nations communities in Australia and black communities across the US and around the world who have experienced and fought back against hundreds of years of systemic violence and discrimination.
Here are just some of the actions Indigenous leaders and organisations have asked all of us to take:
ACTION 1. SHOW UP to one of the protests organised by First Nations people in solidarity with the #BlackLivesMatter movement:
TOWNSVILLE - Saturday June 6, 10am at The Strand: Facebook Event
BRISBANE - Saturday June 6, 1pm at King George Square: Facebook Event
SYDNEY - Saturday June 6, 3pm at Town Hall: Facebook Event
CANBERRA - Friday June 5, 10.30am at Garema Place: Facebook Event
MELBOURNE - Saturday June 6, 2pm at Parliament House: Facebook Event
ADELAIDE - Saturday June 6, 12pm at Tarndanyangga, Victoria Square Facebook Event
PERTH - Saturday June 13, 12pm at Hyde Park: Facebook Event
Please make sure you follow social distancing rules to keep everyone safe. Check out these tips for how to be safe while protesting during a pandemic.
ACTION 2. DONATE to campaigns from families seeking justice for loved ones who have died in police custody:
Justice for Kumanjayi Walker
Justice for Tanya Day
Justice for David Dungay Junior
Justice for Joyce Clarke
You can also make a regular donation to Indigenous-led organisations working for First Nations justice and climate justice. The #StopAdani movement has compiled a list on their website here.
ACTION 3. EDUCATE yourself and take ongoing action for systemic change:
There is no climate justice without First Nations justice and Racial Justice. Climate Justice means a world where everyone can live healthy, safe and fulfilled lives. This will never be possible while systemic racism means that Indigenous people are disproportionately locked up and killed in police custody, or while coal, oil and gas companies are allowed to violate the rights of First Nations people and destroy their country.
Racism, discrimination and police brutality have no place in our future. It’s up to all of us to listen, learn, take a stand and ask everyone we know to do the same - not just now, but forever. Solidarity is a lifelong mission. We hope you’ll join us on it.
In solidarity,
The School Strike 4 Climate team.
P.S. School Striker Dani has compiled educational, fundraising and supporter resources in this linktree: https://linktr.ee/BLM_indigenousjustice. Please share widely with your networks.
*'Deaths in our backyard': 432 Indigenous Australians have died in custody since 1991, The Guardian, 1 June 2020.