Noosa District State High School Year 12 Social and Community Studies students have been delving into very important, topical Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues this term, including the Black Lives Matter movement to develop an understanding of the inherent issues, whilst considering a cultural event that showcases art as activism.
NDSHS Indigenous Liaison Officer Kajal Charlton joined the class last week to provide his insights and understanding of indigenous issues assisting the class with this term’s unit of work, Art in the Community.
Mr Charlton developed an instant rapport with the Year 12s.
He shared personal stories from his childhood, describing for the students what it was like to grow up with an Aboriginal dad and an Italian mum and the difficulties faced being theonly “black kid” in a large all-boys private school.
Mr Charlton spoke to the students about his struggles with his identity and bullying at school and working as an apprentice boilermaker in Far North Queensland under the direction of a racist and misogynistic boss.
Endemic racism in Australia was discussed, which Mr Charlton evidenced through a study by the Australian National University published last week that found three in four Australians hold a negative view of indigenous people.
He encouraged the students to consider ways to mitigate racist stereotypes and prejudice.
Year 12 student Amber Cameron was excited to learn from Mr Charlton, as she too identifies as Aboriginal.
“Kajal is a fascinating man, with a real knack for engaging and empowering those who are indigenous as well as those who are not,” Amber said.
The students looked forward to showcasing their new understandings of Aboriginal culture and identity into their cultural event.
