The Tomorrow Movement staff team recently gathered to reflect on Darumbal and South Sea Islander journalist Amy McGuire’s powerful article titled ‘Abolition.Feminism.Now and Free Palestine: Fighting for the rights of all oppressed peoples’ about media complicity in genocide, Indigenous resistance, and Palestinian solidarity. Her words resonated deeply with our work as young organisers fighting for justice.
Here’s what we’re sitting with—and how it shapes our movement.
1. Australia’s Unspoken Genocide and the Media’s Role
McGuire’s article exposes how mainstream media refuses to name genocide—whether in Palestine or here on stolen Indigenous land. This isn’t neutrality; it’s active complicity in colonial violence.
Our reflections:
- Conditional voices: First Nations people are given a platform only when their words fit a “palatable” narrative. As settlers in this movement, we must reject this selectivity and amplify uncompromising truths.
- The myth of objectivity: Media outlets hide behind “balance” while erasing Indigenous perspectives. As McGuire writes, “objectivity is a white supremacist myth”—one we must dismantle in our own storytelling.
- Parallel struggles: From Palestine to so-called Australia, genocide relies on land theft, incarceration, and silencing. Recognising these connections is vital for solidarity.
How this shapes our work:
✔️ We prioritise First Nations-led media (e.g. IndigenousX, NITV) in our news consumption and sharing.
✔️ We name colonialism explicitly in our campaigns—no softening language.
✔️ We challenge “both sides-ism” when covering injustice.
2. Resistance Misrepresented: Why Context Matters
McGuire highlights how media frames Indigenous resistance as “riots” or “violence,” never as legitimate struggle against oppression.
Our reflections:
- Resistance = survival: From the Palm Island uprising to Palestinian steadfastness (sumud), fighting back is painted as irrational rather than necessary.
- The power of stories: Movements grow when we share narratives of resistance on our terms—like McGuire’s unapologetic solidarity with Palestine.
How this shapes our work:
✔️ We centre First Nations resistance in our political education (e.g. Frontier Wars, Black Deaths in Custody protests).
✔️ We document actions in ways that highlight why people resist—not just how.
3. Solidarity as a Practice, Not a Performance
McGuire’s speech models what deep solidarity looks like: grounding her support for Palestine in Darumbal sovereignty and collective liberation.
Our learnings:
- “We’re still here”: As organisers, we’re sitting with wisdom that change takes generations. Palestinian and First Nations perseverance teaches endurance.
- Language matters: Owned media (like this blog!) lets us control narratives instead of begging corporate outlets for coverage.
- Interconnected struggles: Climate justice, prison abolition, and anti-colonial movements must be fought together.
How this shapes our work:
✔️ We build partnerships with First Nations and Palestinian groups based on their leadership.
✔️ We use our platforms to amplify voices like McGuire’s, not speak over them.
Where To From Here?
McGuire’s article is a call to action:
- Educate ourselves on Australia’s ongoing genocide and media’s role in hiding it.
- Reject “neutrality”—take sides unapologetically with oppressed communities.
- Invest in owned media (blogs, socials, zines) to bypass gatekeepers.
As McGuire reminds us: “We are STILL HERE.” So is Palestine. Our movements must match that long-haul vision.
Join us in building a youth movement that fights for all liberations at once. You could start by:
📖 Reading Amy McGuire’s full article: https://www.blackjusticejournalism.com.au/p/abolitionfeminismnow-and-free-palestine
✊ Attending a Racial Justice Learning Collective session: https://tomorrowmovement.com/get-involved/rjlc/
