We have no room for discrimination: Eddie Koiki Mabo Lecture

We have no room for discrimination: Eddie Koiki Mabo Lecture

Racial discrimination does not belong in our communities, nor our highest law, a young orator will explain at a public lecture in Townsville next Tuesday (September 2).

Shannan Dodson will deliver this year’s Eddie Koiki Mabo Lecture and all North Queenslanders are invited to attend.

Ms Dodson is a Digital Campaign Manager at Recognise, the movement to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia’s Constitution.

Shannan Dodson’s lecture is titled Recognition, National Identity and Our Future, which will discuss how people can reflect on this central part of Australia’s unique national identity, and importantly, why Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples need to be recognised in our Constitution.

“It is a chance for all of us to share an even deeper pride in, and connection to, our country's first peoples and cultures,” Ms Dodson says.

“And how there is no room for racial discrimination in our communities, just as there is no room for it in the document that dictates our laws.

“The time is now to help forge a future for Australians that is based on equality, fairness and respect.”

Ms Dodson said Eddie Koiki Mabo played a pivotal role in the recognition of a profound truth of our history; peoples were already here at the time the British colonies were proclaimed.

“Now we have the opportunity to reflect this truth and important fact in our Constitution – and a moment for millions of us as Australians to recognise the more than 60,000 years of Australian history that is missing from our founding document. And to ensure that racial discrimination is no longer a feature of our highest law.”

Speaker’s background:

Shannan Dodson is a Yawuru woman born in Katherine in the Northern Territory and grew up in Darwin, Sydney and Canberra.

Shannan has a double degree in arts, majoring in international studies, and communications in media/multimedia production. She is currently the Digital Campaign Manager for Recognise – the people's movement to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our Constitution and ensure there’s no place for racial discrimination in it. Recognise has played a large role in growing the movement to more than 214,000 Australians.

Shannan previously worked in the Communications Team at Reconciliation Australia.

She has also worked in the Audiovisual Unit at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies helping with the repatriation of photographs, audio and film to Indigenous communities and individuals.

Shannan is a strong advocate for human rights and passionate about promoting the importance of understanding mental health issues. She hopes to play a part in continuing the hard work and dedication of her family, ancestors and elders to the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

For interviews: Ms Dodson is available after 2.30pm Friday August 29, or after 2.30pm Saturday August 30 or on Monday at most times.

Event details for Tuesday, September 2:

Recognition, National Identity and Our Future

6.15pm for 6.30pm start

Tuesday 2nd September 2014

Sir George Kneipp Auditorium (Building 27) JCU Townsville Campus

Video linked to JCU Cairns, Singapore, Thursday Island, Mackay and Mount Isa.

Contact details: shannan.dodson@recognise.org.au

JCU Media Liaison: Caroline Kaurila, tel: (07) 4781 4586 or 0437 028 175

First published August 29, 2014