10 Jun The formula for justice and recognition with Thomas Mayo
ACAL marked the beginning of Reconciliation Week with a webinar presentation by Thomas Mayo reflecting strongly on this theme. The National Reconciliation Week 2025 theme “Bridging Now to Next” called on Australians to “step forward together, to look ahead and continue the push forward as past lessons guide us”.
Thomas spoke movingly about the failed 2023 Voice referendum and the impact on First Nations Peoples who worked so hard to achieve change.
He said that one of the reasons First Nations Peoples wanted a Voice is to enable community-based solutions for issues such as improving literacy for young and older Australians. He spoke of the importance of the work around adult literacy, and in schools, to deepen understanding of what has happened to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Thomas talked about the energy that mob in community get from publishing their own books in their own languages. He believes improving literacy in communities is vital to improving their ability to pursue justice and combat the “cult of forgetfulness”. He spoke of the need for an anti-racism campaign in the future. Participants raised the importance of literacy resources to educate people about Australia’s past …something that all of us can help with.