«Growing Up African in Australia» by Maxine Beneba Clarke

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.

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 the regions of Africa, and the African diaspora, from the Caribbean to the Americas. Told with passion, power, and poise, these are the stories of African-diaspora Australians: diverse, engaging, hopeful and heartfelt.

Contributors include Faustina Agolley, Santilla Chingaipe, Carly Findlay, Khalid Warsame, Nyadol Nyuon, Tariro Mavondo and many, many more.

Editors: Maxine Beneba Clarke with Ahmed Yussef and Magan Magan

Narrators: Rebekha Robertson and Thuso Lekwape, with contributors Candy Bowers, Ahmed Yussuf, Magan Magan, Santilla Chingaipe, Tariro Mavondo, Manal Younus and Faustina Agolley. Song contribution by Muma Doesa

© Maxine Beneba Clarke and Black Inc., 2019. Individual stories © retained by the authors.