‘Racism Not Welcome’
By Abigail Bobkowski (Postgraduate 2024; Senior Common Room Social Justice Representative 2025) and Angus O’Grady (Postgraduate 2024)
On Monday 16 September 2024, we gathered at Sancta for an unforgettable evening at our ‘Racism Not Welcome’ Formal Dinner. You could feel the care and excitement from our community as we unveiled our #RacismNotWelcome sign. This initiative, launched by the Inner West Multicultural Network and supported by Addison Road Community Organisation, is a grassroots campaign aimed at acknowledging racism, validating lived experiences, and sparking meaningful conversations to drive change.
Our new #RacismNotWelcome sign, the first in the Camperdown, Darlington, and Newtown Area, stands as a permanent reminder of our College’s commitment to speaking out against racial discrimination and fostering cultural competency. The evening was a way for Sancta to highlight the power of collective action and the importance of creating an inclusive environment.
Our guest speaker for the night, Craig Foster AM, who is a former Socceroo footballer, broadcaster, and renowned human rights activist, gave a powerful and compassionate address. During his speech, Craig took us into the heart of the Racism Not Welcome campaign. His involvement with the campaign began during the pandemic where he witnessed and heard stories from victims of racism while volunteering at a food distribution organisation. He recounted how he met a young man who was living in his car, and after he helped the young man and invited him for dinner, the man was most thankful not for all the help he was given, but for being treated as a fellow human being. He had been a victim of racism.
Craig drew attention to the ignorance and denial of racism in the Australian community. He spoke of different groups, including local governing bodies, who denied the existence of racism in their areas. This denial, he explained, is a significant barrier to progress, as it prevents meaningful dialogue and action. Craig emphasised that “[Australians] have a responsibility to interrogate our own understanding, prejudices, and institutions in order to bring to life our cultural values of fairness and equality.”
“It takes courage to challenge one’s own country about racism, or any serious shortcomings.”
He noted that we all share this responsibility, no matter if we are in College or “out in the world”.
Craig encouraged us to think of creative ways we could advocate for these same goals within our friend groups, classes, communities and colleges, stressing the role each person plays in challenging systemic racism. Two lines of In Sapientia Ambulate, ‘Strong in Character’ and ‘Determined in Cause’, show the connection between the Sancta student and the principles of Craig’s mission.
Speaking of leadership positions, we were also honoured to host local councillors from the City of Sydney and Inner West Council, distinguished guests from the University of Sydney’s executive, the Gadigal Centre, and international student representatives. All of our guests were fantastic to meet and each had something interesting to say about the topic of the evening. Their presence further underscored our collective responsibility to foster an inclusive and respectful community. As the #RacismNotWelcome sign was unveiled, it symbolised our shared commitment to challenging racism and promoting equality.
After the installation of the sign, Craig took time to connect with us, stopping to take a selfie with everyone in the Dining Hall and even competing against some brave students in a makeshift soccer challenge utilising traffic cones.
The evening concluded with a photo of the Sancta community under the newly installed sign. As a token of appreciation, Sancta has made a donation to the Addi Road Community Organisation in his name. The resounding message of the night was one of empowerment and responsibility. We can turn the tide against intolerance and build a brighter racism-free future for all, both at Sancta and ‘out in the world’.
To find out more about the Racism Not Welcome campaign, and to normalise discussion about racism at a community level, check out this website.