If you haven’t already, check out this list of 20 actions for reconciliation.

The first 1-3 actions are more or less what I’ve been working on since I started my Indigenous Knowledges Minor back when I was still studying. It is important to take a look at what an “Ally” or an “Accomplice” means to First Nations People, as there are often people who label themselves that incorrectly. Don’t get defensive if you’re called out or realise you’re not quite up to par, just take in the criticism, educate yourself and move towards becoming a better Ally or Accomplice.

It’s also important to gain a broader understanding of what racism is, as a lot of people really only mark “blatant” racism as what needs to be reeled in. All racism needs to be called out, and there’s often a lot of things people don’t realise are underpinned by racism, whether it be sheer ignorance or systematic.

I know a lot more about Australia’s true history now. In my minor, which is only four units, I learnt more than I did in the entirety of schooling that came before that. This is where self-determined education comes in. Get it from the right sources, but also don’t expect Indigenous Australians to have to “fill you in” when you want it. It’s all of our history, so we all need to do our part to learn it, especially non-Indigenous Australians.

It’s local history that I need to brush up on, and that’s 4 on the list. That’s what I’ll be working on next. I know I live on Meanjin, on the land of the Yuggera and Turrbal people, and I know a bit about the legends of the wildlife and the dispute around the famous Brisbane river … that always floods, like the colonisers were told it would. But I know a bit more about other areas compared to here, and so that’s my next task, to make sure I know better about the Country I live on.