State of The Union: WHY YOU SHOULD APPLY FOR THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FREEDOM RIDES TOUR (BUT WERE TOO AFRAID TO ASK)

15 January 2015

WHY YOU SHOULD APPLY FOR THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FREEDOM RIDES TOUR (BUT WERE TOO AFRAID TO ASK)

Background

The Freedom Rides are an oft celebrated moment within USYD's history.

They are celebrated because a group called Student Action For Aborigines decided to draw attention to the severe discrimination facing Indigenous Australians in Rural Communities. SAFA was notably founded somewhere in the vicinity of the Quad’s Jacaranda.

SAFA members included:

Charles Perkins (President, Arrente Man and Activist)
Ann Curthoys (Historian at Sydney University)
Jim Spiegelman (see: Spiegelman CJ)
Dace Cassidy (reporter for the ABC)

The 50th Anniversary of the freedom rides is an opportunity to recreate SAFA’s journey. The journey will be stopping at Dubbo, Moree, Walgett and Kempsey, just as was done half a century ago.

50th Anniversary’s Current Significance

That issues facing first nations people should be at the forefront of our University’s consciousness goes without saying, however too often this commitment remains largely academic.

Union Policy goes further than most organisations in:

"recognising that the land belonging to (the Cadigal people of the Eora nation) was never ceded, given up, bought, or sold.”

However, as an organisation we still have a long way to go in facilitating Indigenous participation, leadership, accessibility and support in our organisation's supremely white-anglo history.

Why YOU should Apply

Because all you need is the ability to listen. Hence encompassing literally all of you.
Because you are a USYD Student
Because it would be sick!

If you have taken anything from the above let it be that listening is important, particularly when the voice you are listening to is one that can teach you about some of the lesser heard histories of this nation. You’re a University student after all right?

You literally have until 5pm Friday. All registration details are available on the SRC's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/usydsrc) with an explanation of the Freedom Ride's importance written by current SRC President Kyol Blakeney.