I would like to first acknowledge all Aboriginal people, Elders and my Kulin ancestors whose land this work was made and that several of Monash University's campuses stand on. Their sacrifices and contributions allow me to give back, and that gives me more fulfilment than anything else possibly could.

This poem accompanied by the surrounding artwork was entirely created for this submission. The poem and art is succinctly reflective of the global environment when considering the many plights of black people, culture and people of colour. It has taken far too long for the world to get to a stage like this. Equality is overdue. The pain of the past and present is still so raw, and reflected in artworks like this. Having been directly affected by the incarceration of black people (I come from two generations of incarcerated Indigenous people), by targeted custodial abuse, by governmental policies that now fit the United Nations definition of genocide (Article 2e of the Genocide Convention) - this is how I express myself with everything going on. It is time for truth-telling, it is time for justice, it is time for reparations, it is time for respect to be given. Black Lives Matter.