As a woman of colour in Australia, the thought of another Trump presidency reaches beyond borders and ripples through every community around the world.
When a nation as powerful as America chooses someone who disregards our voices, sidelines human rights and unapologetically emboldens bigotry, it sends a clear, painful message.
For people like me here in Australia, where it already feels like a constant struggle to find a seat at the table, this is a stark reminder of just how much work lies ahead.
Politics in Australia has never been an easy space for minorities, especially for women of colour.
Opportunities to lead, to influence policy or to simply be heard are rare, and every inch of progress comes with its own battles.
We’re often expected to “wait our turn”, told we’re “not the right fit”, or pushed to the side in favour of voices that are deemed more “acceptable”.
And when powerful countries like America choose leaders who openly celebrate exclusion and dismiss the voices of minorities, it gives those same prejudices here a dangerous sense of validation. It’s a message that says, “Stay in your place.”
Trump’s victory sends a frightening signal about what our future looks like.
Imagine a world where our own leaders feel no pressure to address our challenges, where they feel emboldened to sideline human rights, silence our communities and deny the struggles we live every day.
For those of us already fighting just to be seen, the path to leadership grows steeper, the gatekeepers more numerous and the willingness to address systemic issues even weaker.
But I hold on to hope.
Because despite everything, we’re here, we’re present, we’re fighting and we’re making our voices heard. Our future depends on us continuing to break down doors and refuse to wait our turn.
So let’s support each other, build our networks and empower each other to stand up in every space we can.
Not just for ourselves, but for the generations who will come after us.
The future of politics in Australia shouldn’t look like more walls and closed doors.
It should look like seats at the table for every voice, every experience and every background.
We deserve a future where leadership isn’t limited to one type of person, one narrow perspective.
This isn’t just about politics; it’s about our lives, our future and the kind of world we want to build.
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