AAN is having an African Australian BBQ on Saturday December 6th.
We invite our friends and supporters to join us from 2.00 – 5.00pm at the Sports Club Hall, Parry Park, Punchbowl Rd, Lakemba for our end of year BBQ with live music and DJ.
We provide halal meat, marinated African-style, salads and bread. Soft drinks will be on sale. Bring your family, other drinks if you want to, coins for our raffle (fabulous prizes) and your best dance moves.
For more info email admin@australianafricannetwork.org.au or call Jill 0424 853 717 or Suzanne 0417 777 131.
Download the flier and stick it on your fridge so you remember, or email it to your friends.
Our thanks to Canterbury Council for sponsoring this event with a Harmony Day Grant.
Categories: AAN Events
Tagged: AAN, African party, intercultural, mixed race families
In October 2007 AAN started an online survey. We wanted to know more about the challenges and needs of people in mixed relationships in NSW, and also what kinds of activities they’d like AAN to do. It’s a first that we know of in Australia.
75 people filled in the survey and the key issues that they named as important were lack of connection to African culture and community, cultural issues, and racism and prejudice. They were most interested in AAN doing picnics, and seminars on political and cultural issues.
39 of the people who answered the survey were currently in a mixed relationship and 20 used to be, and the remainder either were “just friends” or did not answer the question. They represented 18 countries and all regions of Africa, and 24 different language groups.
56 women and 18 men filled out the survey. 21 were of African heritage and 52 were non-African. 36 were the parents of mixed children.
For more detail Download the survey results summary (PDF, 5 pages).
We are very pleased with the response, it has provided useful information which will help us as an organisation. Thank you to everyone who took the time to fill it in.
We will be keeping the survey online until the end of year because we are keen to get the views of more men and more African heritage people, so as to get a fuller picture of what people in mixed relationships want & need. So if you haven’t already, please do the survey, and/or encourage your partners and friends to do so too.
Do the survey online or Download the survey (MS Word) and email or post it back to us.
Categories: AAN Actions · cross cultural relationships
Tagged: Australian African Network, AAN, biracial, African Australian, mixed race families, intercultural families
A.A.N. celebrates the election of the first black American president. We want to pay tribute not only to Barack Obama’s extraordinary spirit and vision, but also to his mother and grandmother, and to his whole extended multicultural and multiracial family.
In the aftermath of Obama’s historic election, we received an email from Endashaw Tesema, an African leader in Australia, honouring all those women who have had the courage and determination to build intercultural and racial relationships and families, despite enormous obstacles and opposition at times. With his permission, we include an extract from his email here:
“Many would rather I did not make this comment but following Milton who once said “a grateful mind owes not but still pays” I wish to pay at this moment in history, not later.
It is women like you who have followed their hearts, not the expectations of others, in more cases than not at great personal price, that helped in the speedy arrival of a moment in history today.
Thank you for meeting us half way to help us cross the bridge, to propel the world toward transition at a more accelerated speed than would have been otherwise.
Without the brave women like you having met us half way, America would have taken longer to make history; many millions of people would have passed away without witnessing this change; many millions of people whould have simply continued to hang on to Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” with no hope of realising this dream in their lifetime. The reason is those who granted the making of this history would have been less prepared to cause the realisation of this dream. Together, the women like you and us have shaped the history that has just unfolded.”
A.A.N really appreciates this recognition, and also acknowledge all the men who also play such a critical role in creating and sustaining intercultural and racial families.
Categories: Australian African Network · cross cultural relationships
Tagged: Add new tag, barack obama, bicultural, biracial families, mixed race, multiracial families, US elections, white mothers
November 5, 2008 · 1 Comment
Are you, or have you been, a member of an African and non African Australian couple?
If so, would you be interested in being interviewed about your experiences for a research project into coping strategies of African and non African Australian couples?
This project is being conducted by researchers from the University of Western Sydney, with the aim of producing a “self help” manual for cross cultural couples. The recorded interviews will be approximately one hour in duration, and will be conducted in a mutually convenient location. Your privacy, anonymity and confidentiality are guaranteed.
If you are interested in participating, and/or would like more information, please contact anniestopford@optusnet.com.au, or call 0403 494 491.
Categories: cross cultural relationships
Tagged: interracial marriage, cross cultural relationships, social research
October 27, 2008 · Comments Off
Do you work in early childhood services, migrant or refugee services, community health, African community organisations or other services or organisations that might sometimes deal with cross-cultural African/non-African couples and families?
If yes, you are invited to an informal information sharing afternoon tea with AAN Committee members:
Friday November 7
2.00-4.00pm
Canterbury-Bankstown Migrant Resource Centre
Level 2, 59 Evaline St, Campsie
Why get together? We’re organizing this gathering because we’d like to share with you some of our ideas and experiences as members of African and non African Australian marriages, families and communities. We’d like to raise awareness about the issues facing this community, such as high rates of separation and divorce, cultural dislocation for children of single parent families, and lack of community support and understanding of mixed families, so that your services are better placed to support and refer clients in this situation.
AAN would also like to be more informed about what your organization does. We frequently receive requests for information that we can’t directly provide, both from our client base and from services, and we’d like to be able to refer people to the appropriate agency or organization.
We will also be presenting a report on the findings of our recent survey of people who are or have been in mixed African/non-African relationships. This is the only survey of this kind that we know of in Australia.
For more information and to RSVP:
anniestopford@optusnet.com.au or msdukuly@yahoo.com
Download this information in a flier (PDF)
This event is made possible by a grant from the Canterbury Bankstown Community Harmony Initiatives Program.
Categories: AAN Events
Tagged: AAN, Australian African, cross cultural realtionships, family support mixed race
Bring your family and hang out with us at the next AAN Sausage Sizzle.
Saturday 25 October, 1.00pm - 5.00pm.
Johnson Park, Constitution Rd, Dulwich Hill
We will provide a sausage sizzle but you are welcome to bring other food for the BBQ and/or salads etc. to share.
Johnson Park has enclosed play equipment, a basketball court, and plenty of space for bikes and kicking a ball around.
There’s plenty of parking or it’s a short walk from the 425, 426, 428 & 445 Bus routes (get off near Dulwich Hill shops).
If it’s raining the picnic will be cancelled. Call Suzanne on 0417 777 131 if the weather is uncertain.
Categories: AAN Events
Tagged: AAN picnics, African Australian, bicultural families, interacial families, mixed race
September 26, 2008 · Comments Off
Become a member of Australian African Network before October 25th 2008 and go into the draw to win a fantastic CD from Putumayo World Music.
Extended! The prizewinners will now be drawn at the AAN Annual General Meeting on December 7th.
You could win African Party, featuring artists such as Sekouba Bambino (Guinea), Oliver Mtukudzi (Zimbabwe) and Mapumba (Congo); or African Dreamland for Kids, featuring artists such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo (South Africa) and Toumani Diabate (Mali).
The prize winners will be drawn at our next picnic on Saturday October 25th. (Picnic details to be announced soon).
AAN membership costs only $5 per year plus $10 joining fee. As a member, you can:
- Vote at our Annual General Meetings
- Nominate to join the Management Committee
- Be actively involved in AAN projects and events
Most importantly, by joining you are supporting AAN to grow and become a viable organisation which can more effectively address issues concerning mixed African/non-African couples and families.
Please fill out the membership form and post it with your cheque to:
PO Box 411 Dulwich Hill NSW 2203
Or email it to admin@australianafricannetwork.org.au and make a direct deposit into our account (details on the form)
Categories: Australian African Network · Membership
Tagged: AAN, AAN Memebership
Mildred Loving, a pioneer in the history of interracial marriage, died at her home in Virginia on May 2nd, aged 68. She made history with the aptly named supreme court case Loving v Virginia, in which she and her white husband, Richard, challenged Virginia’s law banning interracial marriage. Their 1967 victory struck down laws banning such unions in the 16 states in which such bans remained. The ruling was unanimous, with the presiding judge, Chief Justice Earl Warren, stating that such laws violated the constitution.
The Lovings’ court case inspired the formation of a group in America dedicated to supporting interracial relationships and families through diverse means, including holding an annual “Loving Day” on June 12th.
Loving Day’s mission is to fight prejudice through education and to build a sense of community among people who engage in meaningful interracial and intercultural relationships. Goals are:
- Create a common connection between multicultural communities, groups and individuals
- Build multicultural awareness, understanding, acceptance, and identity
- Educate the public about the history of interracial relationships in order to fight prejudice
- Establish a tradition of Loving Day celebrations as a means to achieve these goals
In memory of Mildred Loving, and in support of Loving Day, AAN will hold our next picnic in late June - date to be advised, or sign up for email updates.
Categories: racism
Tagged: interracial marriage, Loving Day, Mildred Loving
AAN is the lucky recipient of a Harmony Day grant from Canterbury /Bankstown Council. On Thursday 20th March, AAN Treasurer Jill Sergeant accepted the $2,000 cheque, which will go towards two AAN events later this year.
The first event will be an information session for workers in the Canterbury / Bankstown areas promoting awareness of the AAN and mixed heritage family issues, as well as a consultation to inform the activities of the AAN.
The second event will be a family-friendly party for mixed Australian-African families and couples that also welcomes the participation of all Australians. The party will combine African cultural entertainment and food with information about AAN and other servces, as well as consultation with our communities.
Both events will probably be held in October/November 2008. Sign up for updates and/or apply for AAN membership so you can keep informed.
Categories: AAN Events
Tagged: AAN, AustralianAfricanNetwork, biracial, canterbury bankstown, harmony day, intercultural, mixedrace, multicultural
Would you like to become a member of Australian African Network?
In 2007 we put a lot of work into incorporating as an association, developing rules and structure. We also started a survey, to find out what people in mixed relationships thought we should be doing. Now we’re taking the next step - opening up to membership.
As a member of AAN, you get to:
- Have a say about where the organisation is heading & what it should be doing
- Vote for representatives on the management committee
- Be involved in organising AAN activities (meet interesting people, learn new skills & share your expertise)
Membership costs $10 to join and then $5 annually.
If you join now you won’t have to renew until July 2009
Email admin@australianafricannetwork.org.au for details of how to join.
Categories: Australian African Network
Tagged: AAN, AustralianAfricanNetwork
