Racism Not Welcome Campaign
At the Ordinary Meeting of Council held on 27 July 2021, Council adopted the #RacismNotWelcome Campaign, building on its existing public stance against racism.
The #RacismNotWelcome campaign is a community-led, grassroots initiative intended to acknowledge the existence of racism, validate people’s lived experiences with racism and normalise conversations about racism whilst igniting change. The #RacismNotWelcome campaign was initiated in March 2020 by the Inner West Multicultural Network in response to an increase in racist abuse and attacks on people from Chinese and other Asian backgrounds during the initial period of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The Network developed the campaign as a partnership between Addison Road Community Centre and Inner West Council, and has been adopted by multiple councils since that time. To read more about the campaign please click here.
The #RacismNotWelcome Campaign in Burwood
The #RacismNotWelcome Campaign in Burwood is overseen by the Burwood Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC) who provide advice to Council on appropriate actions.
To date, actions have included:
- Completion of the Burwood Chinatown Public Art Project, The Last Lion - As part of the #RacismNotWelcome campaign and in response to reported incidents of racism around the project site, Council partnered with Burwood Chinatown, 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art and the MAC to deliver a large scale mural and lighting installation in Clarendon Place.
Council commissioned artists, Sophi Odling and Christina Huynh to design and install the artwork titled The Last Lion, which was completed in October 2021. The artwork seeks to encourage social inclusion, celebrate Burwood’s diversity and welcome residents and visitors to the precinct by referencing key cultural groups in Burwood.
For more information about the project please click here.
- There’s No Room for Racism in Burwood Video - Council has produced a video with members of its Multicultural Advisory Committee and community members, highlighting Council’s public stance against racism. You may see the video regularly playing on our outdoor screen at the busy corner of Railway Parade and Burwood Road and at other Council community venues.
You can also view the video by clicking click here.
- Wearing the #RacismNotWelcome message with pride - You may see members of Council’s Multicultural Advisory Committee and Council staff proudly wearing #RacismNotWelcome t-shirts out in the community and at Council’s community events. This is one way we are promoting the #RacismNotWelcome message in our community as well as sharing the message across our other communications platforms.
Look out for #RacismNotWelcome street blades on display at Council event sites, including for the upcoming Burwood Festival. All Council events and activities are open and inclusive of all members of the community and seek to celebrate our diversity as a community.
If you have an idea you would like to submit to Council’s Multicultural Advisory Committee about how we can spread the #RacismNotWelcome campaign message in Burwood, please click on the below tab for contact information.