Growing Up ... in Australia Series by Anita Heiss, Hunter Page-Lochard, Tamala Shelton, Benjamin Law, Carly Findlay, Alistair Baldwin, K.Z. Barton, Dion Beasley, Marla Bishop, Chantel Bongiovanni, Ricky Buchanan, Lucy Carpenter, Emma Di Bernardo, Belinda Downes, Sam Drummond, Kath Duncan, Robin M. Eames, Astrid Edwards, Yvonne Fein, Sarah Firth, El Gibbs, Patrick Gunasekera, Fran Henke, Isis Holt, Eliza Hull, Andy Jackson, Kit Kavanagh-Ryan, Gayle Kennedy, Jessica Knight, C.B. Mako, Kerri-Ann Messenger, Carly-Jay Metcalfe, Tom Middleditch, Oliver Mills, Fiona Murphy, Olivia Muscat, Jessica Newman-Marshall, Khanh Nguyen, Sandi Parsons, Lauren Poole, Melanie Rees, Jane Rosengrave, Iman Shaanu, Jasmine Shirrefs, Tim Slade, Jordon Steele-John, Jessica Walton, Anna Whateley, Natalia Wikana, Todd Winther, Tully Zygier

What is it like to grow up Aboriginal in Australia? This anthology, compiled by award-winning author Anita Heiss, showcases many diverse voices, experiences and stories in order to answer that question.Accounts from well-known authors and high-profile identities sit alongside those from newly discovered writers of all ages. All of the contributors speak from the heart – sometimes calling for empathy, oftentimes challenging stereotypes, always demanding respect... moreWhat is it like to grow up Aboriginal in Australia? This anthology, compiled by award-winning author Anita Heiss, showcases many diverse voices, experiences and stories in order to answer that question.Accounts from well-known authors and high-profile identities sit alongside those from newly discovered writers of all ages. All of the contributors speak from the heart – sometimes calling for empathy, oftentimes challenging stereotypes, always demanding respect.This groundbreaking collection will enlighten, inspire and educate about the lives of Aboriginal people in Australia today.Contributors include: Tony Birch, Deborah Cheetham, Adam Goodes, Terri Janke, Patrick Johnson, Ambelin Kwaymullina, Jack Latimore, Celeste Liddle, Amy McQuire, Kerry Reed-Gilbert, Miranda Tapsell, Jared Thomas, Aileen Walsh, Alexis West, Tara June Winch, and many, many more. less

No amount of YouTube videos and queer think pieces prepared me for this moment.The mantle of “queer migrant” compelled me to keep going – to go further.I never “came out” to my parents. I felt I owed them no explanation.All I heard from the pulpit were grim hints.I became acutely aware of the parts of myself that were unpalatable to queers who grew up in the city.My queerness was born in a hot dry land that was never ceded.Even now, I sometimes think that I don’t know my own desire... moreNo amount of YouTube videos and queer think pieces prepared me for this moment.The mantle of “queer migrant” compelled me to keep going – to go further.I never “came out” to my parents. I felt I owed them no explanation.All I heard from the pulpit were grim hints.I became acutely aware of the parts of myself that were unpalatable to queers who grew up in the city.My queerness was born in a hot dry land that was never ceded.Even now, I sometimes think that I don’t know my own desire.Compiled by celebrated author and journalist Benjamin Law, Growing Up Queer in Australia assembles voices from across the spectrum of LGBTIQA+ identity. Spanning diverse places, eras, ethnicities and experiences, these are the stories of growing up queer in Australia.For better or worse, sooner or later, life conspires to reveal you to yourself, and this is growing up.With contributions from David Marr, Fiona Wright, Nayuka Gorrie, Steve Dow, Holly Throsby, Sally Rugg, Tony Ayres, Nic Holas, Rebecca Shaw and many more. less

A rich collection of writing from those negotiating disability in their lives - a group whose voices are not heard often enough'My body and its place in the world seemed normal to me. Why wouldn't it?''I didn't grow up disabled; I grew up with a problem. A problem that those around me wanted to fix.''We have all felt that uncanny sensation that someone is watching us.''The diagnosis helped but it didn't fix everything.''Don't fear the labels... moreA rich collection of writing from those negotiating disability in their lives - a group whose voices are not heard often enough'My body and its place in the world seemed normal to me. Why wouldn't it?''I didn't grow up disabled; I grew up with a problem. A problem that those around me wanted to fix.''We have all felt that uncanny sensation that someone is watching us.''The diagnosis helped but it didn't fix everything.''Don't fear the labels.''That identity, which I feared for so long, is now one of my greatest qualities.''I had become disabled - not just by my disease, but by the way the world treated me. When I found that out, everything changed.'One in five Australians has a disability. And disability presents itself in many ways. Yet disabled people are still underrepresented in the media and in literature. In Growing Up Disabled in Australia - compiled by writer and appearance activist Carly Findlay OAM - more than forty writers with a disability or chronic illness share their stories, in their own words. The result is illuminating.Contributors include senator Jordon Steele-John, paralympian Isis Holt, Dion Beasley, Sam Drummond, Astrid Edwards, Sarah Firth, El Gibbs, Eliza Hull, Gayle Kennedy, Carly-Jay Metcalfe, Fiona Murphy, Jessica Walton and many more. less

How do two parents who are blind take their children to the park? How is a mother with dwarfism treated when she walks her child down the street? How do Deaf parents know when their baby cries in the night?When writer and musician Eliza Hull was pregnant with her first child, like most parents-to-be she was a mix of excited and nervous. But as a person with a disability, there were added complexities... moreHow do two parents who are blind take their children to the park? How is a mother with dwarfism treated when she walks her child down the street? How do Deaf parents know when their baby cries in the night?When writer and musician Eliza Hull was pregnant with her first child, like most parents-to-be she was a mix of excited and nervous. But as a person with a disability, there were added complexities. She wondered: Will the pregnancy be too hard? Will people judge me? Will I cope with the demands of parenting? More than 15 per cent of Australian households have a parent with a disability, yet their stories are rarely shared, their experiences almost never reflected in parenting literature.In We’ve Got This, twenty-five parents who identify as Deaf, disabled or chronically ill discuss the highs and lows of their parenting journeys and reveal that the greatest obstacles lie in other people’s attitudes. The result is a moving, revelatory and empowering anthology. As Rebekah Taussig writes, ‘Parenthood can tangle with grief and loss. Disability can include joy and abundance. And goddammit – disabled parents exist.’Contributors include Jacinta Parsons, Kristy Forbes, Graeme Innes, Jessica Smith, Jax Jacki Brown, Nicole Lee, Elly May Barnes, Neangok Chair, Renay Barker-Mulholland, Micheline Lee and Shakira Hussein. less

The ultimate book about growing up in Australia - a choice selection of wonderful stories and recollections.This special collection is the perfect addition to Black Inc's definitive 'Growing Up' series. Featuring pieces from 'Growing up Asian', 'Growing Up Aboriginal', 'Growing Up Queer' and 'Growing Up Disabled in Australia', it captures the diversity of our nation in moving and revelatory ways... moreThe ultimate book about growing up in Australia - a choice selection of wonderful stories and recollections.This special collection is the perfect addition to Black Inc's definitive 'Growing Up' series. Featuring pieces from 'Growing up Asian', 'Growing Up Aboriginal', 'Growing Up Queer' and 'Growing Up Disabled in Australia', it captures the diversity of our nation in moving and revelatory ways.'Growing Up in Australia' also features gems from essential Australian memoirs such as Rick Morton's 'One Hundred Years of Dirt' and Magda Szubanski's 'Reckoning'.Contributors include Tim Winton, Benjamin Law, Nyadol Nyuon, Tara June Winch, Miranda Tapsell, Carly Findlay, and many more.With foreword by Alice Pung, this anthology is a wonderful gift for adult and adolescent alike. less

A journey through Torres Strait Islander culture and identity, past and present"My people are expert navigators, adventurers, innovators, ambassadors, teachers, storytellers, performers, strategists, chefs and advocates for change. The blood runs deep when I reflect on the past and the present and imagine what our future might look like... moreA journey through Torres Strait Islander culture and identity, past and present"My people are expert navigators, adventurers, innovators, ambassadors, teachers, storytellers, performers, strategists, chefs and advocates for change. The blood runs deep when I reflect on the past and the present and imagine what our future might look like." --Leilani Bin-JudaWhat makes Zenadth Kes/Torres Strait unique? And what is it like to be a Torres Strait Islander in contemporary Australia? Growing Up Torres Strait Islander in Australia, compiled by poet and author Samantha Faulkner, showcases the distinct identity of Torres Strait Islanders through their diverse voices and journeys.Hear from emerging and established writers from both today and the recent past, including Eddie Mabo, Thomas Mayo, Aaron Fa'Aoso, Jimi Bani, Ellie Gaffney, Jillian Boyd-Bowie and Lenora Thaker. These and many more storytellers, mentors, traditional owners, doctors and teachers from the Torres Strait share their joy, culture, good eating, lessons learned and love of family, language and Country.Discover stories of going dugong hunting and eating mango marinated in soy sauce. The smell of sugar cane and frangipani-scented sea breeze. Family, grandmothers and canoe time. Dancing, singing, weaving hats and making furniture from bamboo. Training as a doctor and advocating for healthcare for the Torres Strait. The loneliness of being caught between two cultures. Mission life, disconnection and being evacuated to the mainland during World War II. "Is that really your mum? Why is she black?". Not being Islander enough. Working hard to reconnect to your roots, and claiming back land and culture.A book to treasure and share, this groundbreaking collection provides a unique perspective on the Torres Strait Islander experience.With contributions Ellen Armstrong, Tetei Bakic, Jimi Bani, Leilani Bin-Juda, Jillian Boyd-Bowie, Tahlia Bowie, Aaliyah Jade Bradbury, John Doolah, Donisha Duff, Aaron Fa'Aoso with Michelle Scott Tucker, Ellie Gaffney, Velma Gara, Jaqui Hughes, Adam Lees, Rhett Loban, Thomas Lowah, Edward Koiki Mabo with Noel Loos, Thomas Mayo, Lenora Thaker, Sorren Thomas, Ina Titasey as told to Catherine Titasey, Lockeah Wapau and Daniella Williams. less

‘I was born in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe.’‘My dad was a freedom fighter, waging war for an independent state: South Sudan.’‘We lived in a small country town, in the deep south of Western Australia.’‘I never knew black people could be Muslim until I met my North African friends.’‘My mum and my dad courted illegally under the Apartheid regime.’‘My first impression of Australia was a housing commission in the north of Tasmania.’‘Somalis use this term, “Dhaqan Celis”... more‘I was born in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe.’‘My dad was a freedom fighter, waging war for an independent state: South Sudan.’‘We lived in a small country town, in the deep south of Western Australia.’‘I never knew black people could be Muslim until I met my North African friends.’‘My mum and my dad courted illegally under the Apartheid regime.’‘My first impression of Australia was a housing commission in the north of Tasmania.’‘Somalis use this term, “Dhaqan Celis”. “Dhaqan” means culture and “Celis” means return.’Learning to kick a football in a suburban schoolyard. Finding your feet as a young black dancer. Discovering your grandfather’s poetry. Meeting Nelson Mandela at your local church. Facing racism from those who should protect you. Dreading a visit to the hairdresser. House- hopping across the suburbs. Being too black. Not being black enough. Singing to find your soul, and then losing yourself again.Welcome to African Australia.Compiled by award-winning author Maxine Beneba Clarke, with curatorial assistance from writers Ahmed Yussuf and Magan Magan, this anthology brings together voices from the regions of Africa and the African diaspora, including the Caribbean and the Americas. Told with passion, power and poise, these are the stories of African-diaspora Australians.Contributors include Faustina Agolley, Santilla Chingaipe, Carly Findlay, Khalid Warsame, Nyadol Nyuon, Tariro Mavondo and many, many more. less