Dear Homeland: Migrant Letters from Australia. Intercultural Journeys

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Dr B. (Hass) Dellal AO is the Executive Director of the Australian Multicultural Foundation and Chairman of the SBS Board of Directors. He has over 25 years’ experience in policy, management, community development and programming for cultural diversity. He has extensive experience nationally and internationally in multicultural affairs. He serves on various boards and committees and has spearheaded initiatives for the development of the general community. He has prepared programs on community relations, social cohesion and integration and prevention strategies on behalf of Government authorities and the private sector. Hass is Chair of the Centre for Multicultural Youth, Chair of the Islamic Museum of Australia, Co-Chair of the Victoria Police Multi-faith Council, Member of the Australian Multicultural Council, Board Member of the European Multicultural Foundation, a Fellow of the Williamson Leadership Program and an Australia Day Ambassador. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to Multiculturalism, the Arts and the Community in 1997, and the Centenary of Federation Medal in 2003. In 2006, he was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate in Social Sciences by RMIT University. In 2015, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to the multicultural community through leadership and advisory roles, to the advancement of inclusiveness and social harmony, to youth, and to the broadcast media.

Dr Vivian Gerrand is a researcher with interests in the areas of migrant displacement, belonging, mobility, image-making and representation. Her interdisciplinary scholarship explores migrant belonging through a comparative cultural studies lens. Vivianis an Associate Research Fellow at the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University, and an Honorary Fellow in the Centre for Cultural Diversity and Wellbeing at Victoria University. She completed her PhD at the University of Melbourne on representations of Somali belonging in Italy and Australia. In 2015 Vivian was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the European University Institute, investigating Italian citizenship law reform from the perspective of Italian Somalis’ multiple affiliations and shared colonial past with Italy. Vivian published her first book, Possible Spaces of Somali Belonging, with Melbourne University Press in 2016.

Ms Reem Sweid is the President of Muslims for Progressive Values, a doctoral student at the Alfred Deakin Institute for Globalisation and Citizenship and a social policy researcher. Born to migrant Syrian parents living in the United States, her family went on to live in Spain, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and Dubai. After finishing high school in Dubai Reem returned to the United States to pursue her Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations at Brown University, she then continued her journey to London for her Master's at the LSE. After which Reem lived in France, Indonesia and finally Australia. Her experience of living as a migrant in the West, but also as a migrant in the East gives her unique insight into intercultural journeys.

Mr Hassan Jama did his studies in Somalia, followed by study at TAFE colleges and online courses in Australia. Upon coming to Australia 20 years ago, Hassan found work with Australia Post, where he reached junior management position. After working 11 years for Australia Post, four years ago Hassan started working for SBS, where he is now executive producer for the Somali program.

Ms Francesca Rizzoli is a photo and video journalist and a radio producer and broadcaster for SBS Italian. She was born and raised in Chile, from Italian parents. When she was 19 years old she moved to Italy, Milan, where she studied photography, obtained a BA in Media Communication and Journalism and a MA in Cultural Anthropology. As a freelance she has reported stories from Afghanistan, Palestine, Uzbekistan, Kirghizstan, Chile, Brazil, Italy, Timor Leste, Hong Kong, USA and Australia. Alongside commissioned photography and video works, Francesca focuses on various long term projects. Since 2013 she is based in Melbourne.

Ms Heba Kassoua is currently a Senior Producer at SBS Arabic 24. She hosts the Drive show daily from 4-7pm. Heba moved to Australia in June 2005 when she was only 16. She now holds a Masters degree in Interpreting and Translation & NAATI level 3 from the University of Western Sydney. She has also completed a bachelor of Arts Government and International relations and Arabic and Islamic Studies as well as Arabic Literature at the University of Sydney. Heba worked as a research assistant and as an interpreter and translator prior to joining SBS Radio. She is passionate about politics, poetry and photography. Heba is one of the finalists in the SBS Youth Power Writing competition in 2006 and she has won the Dean's Medal for academic excellence in her Masters degree in 2014.