Born in the Mae La refugee camp in Thailand, Karen refugee Paw Paw San Ba is revealing what lies “Behind This Smile” as part of a community art project.
Developed as part of the federal Labor government-launched ‘Racism: it stops with me’ campaign, the project features stories from 12 local residents and their images printed on flags, at libraries and the Laverton Community Hub. The campaign also aims to promote cultural diversity and challenge stereotypes.
“I am Karen, not Thai nor Burmese,” Ms San Ba said.
“I didn’t choose to be a refugee. Believe it or not, I always thought I had everything in this life and I felt like a princess even though I was born unlawfully in a country that didn’t recognise me as their citizen.
“I now live in a society where there are so many ways to reach my goals and have the opportunity to get access to education, unlike when I was a child.
“Overall, I am blessed and I’m so lucky compared to some of the other children around the world.”
The message she hopes to convey through the project is that nobody is born to be a victim of racism. “We may be different from each other in appearance, skin colour and race, but inside we are all the same.”
The council is seeking feedback on the project. For more information and to read participants’ stories, visit www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/Community/Multicultural/Behind_This_Smile.
