This article discusses the impact and implications of ‘I’m a Local…’, an initiative developed in partnership between a regional university, a refugee resettlement community organisation and former refugees from African nations in a regional Australian community. The initiative sought to improve understandings about refugees, acknowledge their contributions to Australian society and support local, inclusive cultures. It included the development of public resources exploring the process of former refugees in establishing a sense of belonging and becoming ‘locals’. Racialised ‘Others’ continue to be excluded from ‘belonging’ within Australian communities at a wide range of practical and symbolic levels, so it remains an ongoing challenge to broaden the experience of belonging, challenge the borders erected around ‘local’ identities, and work to transform Australia’s post-colonial paradigm. ‘I’m a Local…’ provides an instructive example of how change agents from different sectors working collaboratively can dismantle prevailing discourses and affirm more inclusive and hopeful futures.

中文翻译：

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“我是当地人……”

本文讨论了“我是当地人……”的影响和影响，这是由一所地区大学，一个难民安置社区组织和一个来自澳大利亚当地社区的非洲国家的前难民共同开发的一项倡议。该倡议旨在增进对难民的了解，认可他们对澳大利亚社会的贡献，并支持当地的包容性文化。它包括开发公共资源，探索前难民建立归属感并成为“当地人”的过程。在广泛的实践和象征意义上，种族歧视的“其他”继续被排除在澳大利亚社区的“归属”范围之外，因此，扩大归属感，挑战围绕“本地”身份建立的边界，并致力于改变澳大利亚的后殖民范式。“我是当地人……”提供了一个具有启发性的示例，说明了来自不同部门的变革推动者如何协同工作才能消除当前的言论并确定更具包容性和希望的未来。