Anything But Square

Multicultural Week with SisterWorks

In the lead up to Multicultural Week at Fed Square, Sarah Ghassali interviews Ifrin, the head of social enterprise at SisterWorks, a Non-For-Profit organisation that supports migrant, refugee and asylum seeker women in Melbourne. Ifrin discusses the range of opportunities provided to the women, the sustainable ethics of their products, as well as how listeners can support the organisation to continue its mission.

https://www.instagram.com/sisterworks_inc/

Sustainable September with Plant the Seed Melbourne

In the lead up to Sustainable September at Fed Square, Sarah Ghassali is joined by Pedro and Carly from the Future Focus Group, discussing the upcoming Plant The Seed Melbourne initiative, which encourages average Melbournians to get involved in urban farming and sustainable living.

Pedro and Carly share the inspiration behind this project, as well as their vision for a more sustainable Melbourne!

https://www.facebook.com/planttheseedmelbourne

Sustainable September with Casey Youth Action Committee

In the lead up to Sustainable September at Fed Square, Sarah Ghassali chats to Nat and Tanisha from the 2021 intake of the Casey Youth Action Committee (CYAC). A local youth initiative open to Casey residents aged 15-25, the CYAC are dedicated to tackling sustainability and climate action within the City of Casey. Tanisha and Nat share their top tips on sustainable living and discuss what advocacy means to them.

Want to get involved? Head to https://www.casey.vic.gov.au/want-get-involved to find out more.

Sustainable September with ‘Waste to Wear‘ hosts Rachel and Ulla-Britta

In the lead-up to Sustainable September at Fed Square, Sarah Ghassali chats to Rachel Kelly, founder of E tū and co-founder of Peacebeam, as well Swedish/ New Zealand artist and maker Ulla-Britta Westergren. Rachel and Ulla discuss the ways in which they implement sustainable practices in their work and lifestyles, the importance of open-source information sharing as well as their exciting Waste to Wear Kids workshop at Fed Square.*

https://www.instagram.com/etu_etu_/

https://www.instagram.com/ulla_britta.westergren/

*Event cancelled due to COVID restrictions. 

 

Sustainable September with Katharine Balson from OzHarvest

In the lead-up to Sustainable September at Fed Square, Sarah Ghassali is joined by Katharine Balson, Victorian Education Coordinator representing OzHarvest at Little Food Festival.

OzHarvest is Australia's leading food rescue organisation, and has been in operation since 2004. Their team of volunteers in yellow vans work to rescue surplus food from 457 food businesses throughout Melbourne, delivering more than 320,000 nutritious meals every month to 150 charities supporting those who need it most.

With a background in teaching, Katharine discusses her passion for food sustainability and the FEAST and NEST sustainable cooking programs for students and adults available through OzHarvest.

https://www.ozharvest.org/your-local-ozharvest/melbourne/

https://www.instagram.com/ozharvest_melbourne

https://www.facebook.com/OzHarvestMelbourne/

NAIDOC Week with Taungurung artist Mick Harding

In this episode, Sarah Ghassali is joined by Mick Harding, a Taungurung man of the Yowung-Illam-Baluk and Yerrun-Illam-Baluk clans, celebrated artist and the current deputy chair of the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council.

Harding talks about how he became an artist and how he sees art as being about sharing story – integral to culture, necessary for healing and fundamentally human. He also shares his thoughts on this year’s NAIDOC Week theme ‘Heal Country’ and the current work he's been involved in as deputy chair of the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council.  

Mick's art can be purchased online through his business, Ngara Warendji – Dancing Wombat.

NAIDOC Week with Australian Greens Senator for Victoria, Lidia Thorpe

In this interview, Sarah Ghassali is joined by Australian Greens Senator for Victoria and Gunnai Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung woman Lidia Thorpe, during NAIDOC Week 2021.

Thorpe, who became the first Aboriginal person to be elected to Victorian Parliament in 2017, shares her thoughts on NAIDOC Week, its history as a day of protest against colonisation, how we can make it more inclusive and progressive and tips for more ethical allyship for non-Indigenous listeners. 

Thorpe also shares her views about the importance of the development of a treaty – a legal agreement between Indigenous Australians and the Australian Government – as the next step beyond reconciliation, and the necessity of having diverse voices in politics to enable real societal change.

Mindful Mondays – Episode 5: Sustainable Resilience

Craving ten minutes of peace? Join in for our fifth and final Mindful Monday meditation podcast episode, thanks to Kadampa Meditation Centre, and turn your manic Monday into a Mindful Monday!  

Episode 5 – Sustainable resilience

In this final session of our ‘Fresh Beginnings’ series, Gen Dornying discusses where we go from here: how we take these tools and practically implement them, every day. From fresh beginnings to life-long meaning and happiness!

Mindful Mondays – Episode 4: Happiness from Adversity, Part 2

Craving ten minutes of peace? Join in for our fourth, and penultimate, Mindful Monday meditation podcast episode, thanks to Kadampa Meditation Centre, and turn your manic Monday into a Mindful Monday!  

Episode 4 – Happiness from adversity, part 2

Building on the tools we have learned so far, and in particular our newly developed self-confidence, Gen Dornying explores techniques for transforming the mundane daily grind into increasing inner wellness, happiness and a great quality of life.

Global Pride Month – Interview with writer Lujayn Hourani

In this interview, Sarah Ghassali chats to Lujayn Hourani about LGBTQIA+ pride and intersectionality.

Lujayn is a Lebanese-Palestinian writer, editor, and arts worker currently living on Wurundjeri Country. Born stateless, they emigrated to Melbourne in 1997. Lujayn is the Communications Director at Road to Refuge NGO and is one of the recipients of the 2020 Wheeler Centre's Next Chapter writers' scheme.

You can find his writing in the Australian Poetry Journal, Meanjin, Going Down Swinging, The Lifted Brow and Overland, among others.

This podcast was recorded and produced during Pride Month, June 2021.