Careers in Colour #18: Our CiC Alliance Forum recap and more!
Exclusive details on our next CiC event and check out some of our recent team recommendations!
Last Wednesday evening, we held our second event for the CiC Alliance.
The CiC Alliance brings together Employee Resource/Advocacy Groups (ERGs/EAGs) leaders and members, executive sponsors, and DEI professionals to drive racial equity and inclusive leadership across Australian workplaces.
It was an inspiring evening filled with thought-provoking presentations and meaningful discussions as we took a shift away from our usual larger scale events to bring together an intimate group of people both in-person and online, involved in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) and ERGs/EAGs.
The focus of the event was on the importance of accurate, intersectional DEI data in advancing equity and change within organisations. We were very fortunate to have Amee McMillan and Brad Balakrishnan present research done in the Australian Public Service on the experiences of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) and Culturally and Racially Marginalised (CARM) employees navigating career advancement opportunities.
Thank you everyone who participated, and to Canva for allowing us to host this event in their space. We'll be posting a recap of our key takeaways soon, so keep following our page so you don't miss out!
🚨 Save the date! Our first in-person event in Canberra on 27 August
Save the date for our first ever CiC event on Canberra on 27 August!! Our event ‘From Advocacy to Action: Advancing Racial Diversity in the Public Sector’ will feature public sector leaders, diversity advocates and policy experts to explore tangible strategies for empowering people of colour—not just to enter public service, but to thrive and lead within it.
We are excited to announce a lineup of incredible panellists who will join us to share their insights, including:
Afeeya Akhand (she/her) - Head of Research and Policy, Careers in Colour
Dr Paul Hubbard (he/him) - Assistant Secretary, Co-Head of AI CoLab, CALD Co-Champion, Department of Finance
Aneesha Johar (she/her) - Executive Officer to First Assistant Secretary National Security, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
Irene Sim (she/her) - Executive Leadership Coach, Coaching Alliance Group
📖 In the newsroom
CiC Research and Policy's first ever policy submission on the topic of racial justice from an intersectional perspective has been cited in this UN General Assembly report! We’ll be looking to publish our submission soon on our website. Stay subscribed so you don’t miss out!
The Federal Court ruled that the ABC illegally sacked Antoinette Lattouf. Read more on the Womens Agenda article on why it is a wake-up call for workplace intersectionality.
🗓 More events
6-13 July: NAIDOC Week this year focuses on the theme ‘The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy’. Local events are being held across Australia — visit the NAIDOC Week website for more information.
15 Jul: The National Centre for Cultural Competence will be hosting a Cultural Competence in Research Symposium, which aims to build the capacity of Early- and Mid-Career Researchers (EMCRs) to integrate cultural competence into their research practices, fostering ethical, inclusive, and impactful scholarship.
13 Nov: MindTribes is hosting their Business in Colour awards which will celebrate and honour the extraordinary contributions and achievements of employees, leaders, allies, and communities who are driving meaningful change in race & cultural equity & inclusion within organisations.
🎥 CiC recommends
Cozy up in these long winter months with these recommendations from the CiC team:
🎧 Say our Names: Identity, Respect, and Belonging
Despite Australia being a vibrant, multicultural society, too often, non-Anglo names are mispronounced, altered, or avoided. Community voices, academics, and thought leaders explore how respectful name recognition can foster deeper inclusion.
📖 All That's Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien
For fans of Everything I Never Told You and The Mothers, a deeply moving and unflinching debut following a young Vietnamese-Australian woman who returns home to her family in the wake of her brother’s shocking murder, determined to discover what happened—a dramatic exploration of the intricate bonds and obligations of friendship, family, and community.
🖼️ Our Story: Aboriginal–Chinese People in Australia
Curated by artist and researcher Zhou Xiaoping, this free exhibition at Canberra’s National Gallery of Australia sheds light on the little-known history of Aboriginal and Chinese relations in colonial Australia, exploring themes of identity, survival, resilience and cultural connection.
