Curtin law graduate Paris McNeil.
Simply by virtue of being born in Australia, the likelihood of me completing my Curtin University degree was determined well before I was born. Combined with the fact that both of my parents also went to university, my chances of obtaining a degree of my own skyrocket.
However, not everyone is born into such fortunate circumstances.
Privilege can be defined as a right or immunity granted as a peculiar benefit, advantage, or favour. It is typically an unearned and mostly unacknowledged societal advantage held by a restricted group of people. Where privilege exists, so too will social injustice.
Today is World Day of Social Justice, an international day recognising the need to prioritise social justice including through initiatives tackling poverty, gender and racial inequality, human rights issues and promoting equal opportunity.
What is social justice?
When you think of social justice, you may think of big campaigns like Black Lives Matter that seem distant; both geographically and in the impact that you can make as an individual. However, social justice issues come in all shapes and sizes, and we can often have the most impact when we focus on issues in our local communities.
Throughout my degree, I actively sought out ways that I could give back to the communities that supported me, and to pay forward some of my privilege.
Volunteering with Curtin Volunteers! quickly became an integral part of my commitment to giving back. As a leader of the South Lake Primary Literacy Program, I saw first-hand that children from lower socio-economic backgrounds generally had lower reading and writing outcomes and less one-on-one support than their peers in more affluent suburbs.
However, I also witnessed the significant impact that two hours per week with the volunteers made in improving the student’s literacy skills and confidence. This experience opened my eyes to the power we all have in making meaningful change.
The Boronia Pre-Release Resume Program was the most challenging and rewarding program I led with Curtin Volunteers! We assisted the Boronia residents to craft resumes and cover letters to enable a smooth transition into the workforce after their release from prison.
Many of the women were initially demoralised at the thought of writing a resume, but soon discovered that they could leverage existing skills (such as their involvement in their local playgroup) to create an impressive resume and became more confident about their job search upon release.
As I neared the end of my degree, I wanted to use my legal education to help people in the criminal justice system. As an Advocacy Officer at the WA Justice Association, I’ve advocated for a number of criminal justice reforms, including on the Raise the Age campaign.
I have also advocated for reforms related to the High-Risk Serious Offenders Act and the Criminal Law Mentally Impaired Accused Act, which currently can result in cases of indefinite detention of people who have completed their sentence and who have not received a criminal conviction respectively. Rallying politicians and community bodies represented a very different avenue through which I was able to contribute towards a number of social justice issues.
So, what can be done?
When we are talking about big social justice issues that are often deeply entrenched in our societies, it’s hard not to feel hopeless and it may seem impossible for an individual to make an impact. The good news is that change starts with YOU.
In the words of American cultural anthropologist, Margaret Mead:
‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.’
Here are five ways that you can start to tackle social justice in your workplace or in your daily life:
1) We all have a voice; use it!
The standard of conduct you walk past, is the one that you accept. Your voice can be the difference between following the status quo and making a real impact on someone’s life by calling out unacceptable behaviour, sharing a social media post that promotes awareness for an issue that resonates with you, or even raising your concerns with a politician. Don’t be fooled, this requires courage. But be brave and speak up.
2) Learn and unlearn; challenge your own beliefs
Social justice encompasses many different topics and experiences, one of the best actions you can take is to educate yourself and then challenge your own opinions. Be conscious of the content you consume. Our social media algorithms can quickly become an echo chamber and you may need to actively seek out other perspectives before you can form rigorous, robust, and considered opinions.
3) Look deeply at the issues
Social justice issues are systemic and are often difficult to change because they are intrinsically linked with a sense of identity or our deeply held beliefs. We make around 35,000 decisions per day, many of those using mental shortcuts and relying on assumptions. I highly recommend you complete the Implicit Association Test to help you reflect on what biases you have and how they may be affecting your decision making.
4) Listen to understand, rather than speak to be understood
I believe that Daryl Davis’ story represents the epitome of how small actions can have a big impact. Mr Davis is an African American musician and through his courageous actions many Ku Klux Klan members hung up their robes.
In his TedxNaperville talk, Mr Davis emphasises the importance of first listening to understand, before seeking to be understood. It was only by listening and fully understanding the KKK members’ beliefs that allowed him to challenge their position in an empathetic and effective manner.
If we all took the time to understand each other, I believe we could make significant progress on many of the issues that have persisted in our societies for so long.
5) Give back
Your most precious resource is your time. If you don’t have money to donate, volunteer! Giving back to the communities and people who have assisted you on your journey is one of the most rewarding and impactful things you can do. Spend time in the community and leverage your skills and passions to help where you can.
Sometimes tackling social justice issues can feel like an impossible task. However, everyone can make a meaningful impact by taking small, consistent steps towards change.
This World Day of Social Justice, I encourage you to take one step, volunteer one hour, or reframe one belief because together, our individual contributions will create waves of meaningful social change.
Written by
Paris McNeil, Associate at the State Administrative Tribunal, Chair Little Possums Daycare Inc., and Director Mundaring Arts Centre Inc.
Graduating from Curtin with a Bachelor of Laws in 2023, Paris was the recipient of the Don Watts Undergraduate Scholarship for her academic excellence, leadership and commitment to community service and entrepreneurship. During her time at Curtin, Paris was a Curtin Volunteers! Program Leader and dedicated much of her time to improving the lives of those most disadvantaged in the WA community.
