Local Spanish speaking communities celebrate people with disability at Refugee Week event
28 June 2022
About 60 members of the Spanish speaking communities in Adelaide came together to celebrate the achievements of people living with disability from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds at a Refugee Week event on Friday, 24 June 2022.
The event at St Elias Church in West Croydon was organised by JFA Purple Orange in partnership with the Hispanic Women's Association of South Australia (HWASA).
JFA Purple Orange Project Officer Esther Simbi said the celebration had brought a sense of healing to those attending.
“It was great, people coming together and sharing their stories,” Ms Simbi said. “The whole message was about healing, the community really took that away, the bravery of refugees living with disability, and how welcoming Australia is, the freedom in Australia.”
Community member Alexandra Juan shared her story about the dangers of living as a trans woman with disability in Central America and how she came to Australia.
“This is the place where I found the doors open for me,” Ms Juan said through an interpreter. “It was such a huge change of life. I come from Honduras where I faced discrimination and violence and I had to travel to Guatemala where I had to wait.
“In Guatemala, I have been twice threatened with murder... I had to flee from that country as I had an ultimatum before they killed me. That’s how I ended up in Mexico, accessing help from the United Nations with the Refugee Program and Médecins Sans Frontières.
“The United Nations High Commission for Refugees gave me the opportunity to resettle in Australia. However, with the pandemic I had to wait for a long two years. I started to receive help from different organisations. I have received help from many people, for example financial help, also with my studies support from HWASA and Purple Orange due to being a person living with a disability and hardly able to walk.
“So, thanks to this country, I was well received here, I was welcome in this country after having gone through so many things in the Latin American countries as part of the LGBTI community. I am very happy here. Thank God for this country and the opportunities it gives me.”
Member for Playford John Fulbrook, representing the Minister for Multicultural Affairs Zoe Bettison, Deputy Leader of the Opposition John Gardner, Shadow Minister for Multicultural South Australia Jing Lee, City of Charles Sturt Mayor Angela Evans, and City of West Torrens Mayor Michael Coxon also joined the celebrations.
JFA Purple Orange has been working with Spanish speaking communities in Adelaide to deliver workshops as part of the SKILL Project for the past 15 months.
“SKILL stands for Strengthening Knowledge, Ideas, Linkages, and Leadership,” Ms Simbi explained. “We link people from CALD communities to the NDIS, share information about how to access and navigate the Scheme, educate people about the different forms and impacts of disability, and build connections with support services in the community.”
Media enquiries
Cathy Cochrane
Phone: 0401 308 957
Email: cathyc@purpleorange.org.au
Photo credits: Isabel Ying Chen
Community member Alexandra Juan (right) shares her story with the assistance of an interpreter.
A group of community members smiling at camera, enjoying the celebrations.
Member for Playford John Fulbrook speaks to the community.
Shadow Minister for Multicultural South Australia Jing Lee addresses the audience.
President of the Hispanic Women's Association of South Australia Patricia Rios addresses the crowd.
The audience watches the Columbian Dance Group Chonkai.