Embracing our differences with joy

First published on Edith Cowan University

The debut event was Rainbow Migrants' Karaoke with an Accent created by ECU Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellow Dr Lukasz Krzyzowski and held in partnership with Umbrella Multicultural Community Care and supported by PrideWA, Pride Foundation Australia, and Inclusion Solutions.

Event creator, ECUs' Dr Krzyzowski said Friday night marked the second edition of the event and size of the crowd was an exciting sign that the community was growing around the event.

"Over 100 people had a joyous time celebrating the unique voices and backgrounds of Rainbow Migrants at Connections Nightclub Northbridge," Dr Krzyzowski.

"The night was a wonderful opportunity to bring community together in a super fun celebration of love, respect, and a sense of belonging.

"Karaoke is a disarming activity and perfect for amplifying the lab's mission to foster social inclusion through creative and cultural activities."

Dr Krzyzowski said he was so pleased to hear such warm feedback, especially expressed by the evening's two winners Nobu, who is from Japan and Collin from Indonesia.

Nobu shared that participating in the event, he found that the attendees came from various countries and spoke different languages, showing mutual respect and making it an enjoyable experience.

"As I am deaf, I use sign language in my daily life, and sing language is indeed a full language. It was a great joy to be able to perform a song I sign language in front of everyone," said Nobu.

Collin shared that he was "so stoked to receive the Special Award! A huge thank you to Rainbow Migrants, Connections Nightclub, and all the wonderful sponsors. This event meant a lot to myself and my friend fellow rainbow migrants from Indonesia and Singapore.

"We had so much fun at this safe, welcoming, and supportive event! I can't wait to participate again next year now that I've got my confidence boosted! Thank you again everyone!" said Collin.

Director of ECU's Social Ageing (SAGE), Vice Chancellor's Professorial Research Fellow, Professor Loretta Baldassar joined in the fun, celebrating the joy with ECU SAGE Lab PhD student Chenchen and Hassan from Pakistan a new PhD student, the first one to join the Rainbow Migrants Living Lab.

Bright futures together

Dr Krzyzowski said he was looking forward to further collaboration Pride Foundation Australia, who were a fantastic partner, having also donated support to the establishment of the Rainbow Lab here at ECU.

"I am working with Pride Foundation Australia on an impactful event on 16 November to promote the new Department of Home Affairs CRISP program, which supports refugees, including LGBTIQA+ individuals and people seeking asylum,” Dr Krzyzowski.

The Rainbow Refugees - New frontiers in connections and support event will bring together people dedicated to supporting rainbow refugees using innovative approaches to find solidarity and build community.

"As a speaker myself, I'll be joined by Dan Parker and June Lowe from the Rainbow Refugee Perth group, Pride Foundation Australia's Ruth McNair and their Patron, Professor Dennis Altman, who is a renowned author and activist, who will speak about the global perspective of this important work."

Dr Krzyzowski said he hoped people took the opportunity to come hear about how they can help make a difference by becoming a part of a movement that aims to create a safe and inclusive space for all.

ECU launches Rainbow Migrants Living Lab to drive social inclusion and enhance well-being in LGBTIQA+ migrants

Edith Cowan University (ECU) has officially launched the Rainbow Migrants Living Lab (RaMiLab), a groundbreaking initiative aimed at improving the lives of LGBTIQA+ migrants through innovative research, professional development, and community engagement. Read more.

Out in Perth also covered the launch: Rainbow Migrants Living Lab: Driving social inclusion for LGBTQIA+ migrants.