Panel update - Introducing Dr Berhan Ahmed

We've also been recently informed that The Hon Adam Bandt is snowed under with parliamentary work on November 10. We thank him and his office for their support for the panel.

We are however very fortunate to have another distinguished guest to add. Dr Berhan Ahmed was Victoria's candidate for 2009 Australian of the Year and in 2004 was the first African Australian in history to stand for the Australian Parliament. He is an Eritrean Australian community leader and chairperson of the African Think Tank Inc. We very much welcome Dr Berhan to the panel, and thank him for his time.

Earlier this year Dr Ahmed made important statements about the similarity of racisms faced by both African and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Dr Ahmed's community work provides Australians from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds the opportunity to think about our shared responsibilities to one another, and how racism in all its manifestations can be challenged and defeated.

Panel update - Introducing Prof Don Nakanishi

Due to changes in the Federal Parliamentary sitting schedule, Senator Lisa Singh has unfortunately had to pull out of the panel in November. We thank her for her interest and support for the Asian Australian Identities 4 conference.

We are however very glad to announce another speaker for the panel. Professor Don Nakanishi will be joining us from the United States, where he was Professor Emeritus (1994-2009) and the Director of UCLA's Asian American Studies Centre (1990-2010). Don was responsible for ground-breaking work in the field of Asian American political studies, including launching the National Asian Pacific American Political Almanac in 1976. We thank Don immensely for making himself available for the conference and our event.

More about Don's background can be read here. Below is a clip of Don talking about the 40th anniversary of UCLA's Asian American Studies Centre.