By Cam Lucadou-Wells
An exhibition of 10 inspirational migrant women in Greater Dandenong brings to light Australia’s “missing history”, according to its curator.
Know My Story, which was recently exhibited in Harmony Square windows, is soon to be displayed at Springvale Community Hub.
Work has also begun on a documentary film and book featuring their stories.
Curator Lella Cariddi says the immense deeds of migrant women go “largely unrecognised”.
“As creative, intelligent people who come to Australia from a non-Anglo-Celtic heritage, we are the missing pieces in the annals of Australian history, still.”
The 10 stories show that “migrant women did not arrive in Dandenong as empty vessels”.
“On the contrary, the majority had brought with them tertiary qualifications, only to find that Australia did not recognise either their previously gained skills, nor their tertiary qualifications.
“Undaunted, they returned to tertiary studies, and gained new qualifications, which enabled them to stand tall, and advocate for the betterment of all.”
The 10 women include Iranian-born artist Leila Astiani, whose asylum-seeker boat sank with 80 adults and children perishing in 2013.
“We were in the sea for 28-hours when water started to get inside the boat, forcing us all to continuously empty the water from the boat for 15 hours before an Australian Navy Ship sailed past us, and refused to come to our rescue,” she writes.
“I heard the families’ cry in despair, saying farewells to loved ones, begging for forgiveness from their innocent children.”
Leila, her husband and son survived, clinging to a “small inflatable swim ring”.
In Dandenong, she created a public mural for Wellsprings for Women and taught art classes at Brand New Day community centre. She’s also volunteered as an art teacher at Melbourne Artist for Asylum Seekers.
Others featured are Australian Hazara Women’s Friendship Network founder Zakia Baig, migrant womens support group founder Hayat Doughan and artist Larra Juab.
There’s also Liseby Lapierre, who helped create Play-Spot – a mobile playgroup to reach isolated new migrant families, Greater Dandenong’s first equity and access officer Joyce Rebeiro and former Greater Dandenong mayor Maria Sampey.
Friends of Refugees chief executive and founder Sri Samy, human rights and womens health advocate Mmaskepe Sejoe and family violence counsellor Su Sullivan also share their stories.
A special morning tea and exhibition featuring the women reading parts of their stories is at Springvale Community Hub on Friday 31 March, 10:30am – 11:30am. Bookings: greaterdandenong.com
