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In this wide-ranging conversation, Filipino-born community-development leader Marbuen Diaz joins AmickyCarol from Sydney to unpack what “flourishing” really means for newcomers, refugees and First Nations peoples. From building leadership pipelines in Burmese refugee churches to challenging Australia’s dominant systems to become culturally intelligent, Diaz shows how a life shaped by racism can bloom into a ministry of radical welcome and justice.

Key take-aways

• Born in Mindanao and transplanted to Sydney at 10, Diaz now oversees Community Development & Intercultural Ministries for the Baptist Association NSW/ACT.
• Guides migrant families through jobs, housing and language hurdles while training mainstream institutions in cultural intelligence.
• Mentors emerging leaders inside Myanmar-origin refugee congregations so local voices—not external experts—shape community futures.
• Advocates that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples never ceded their land, urging settlers to self-educate rather than burden First Nations educators.
• Recounts personal encounters with racism—and the kindness that convinced him humanity can choose compassion.
• Explains the weight of inter-generational trauma carried by refugee families and why healing cannot be rushed.
• Sydney travel tips: Opera House & Harbour Bridge, Blue Mountains, native “bush tucker”… plus the reality of brown snakes and red-back spiders!
• Top border-crossing hack: “If it’s alive — or was recently alive — don’t pack it.”
• Calls on listeners to pick one concrete justice step—from learning First Nations history to supporting refugee-led projects—and start today.

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🙋🏾‍♀️ Connect with your host, AmickyCarol Akiwumi MBE: @AmickyCarol on all platforms

🎙️ Podcast produced by Humanise Live – helping charities and social causes bring their stories to life through audio.Learn more at www.humanise.live or hello@humanise.live