Walters Nkemfack – Racism, Resilience & Raising Kids on the Sunshine Coast

I sit down with Walters Nkemfack, a proud Cameroonian-Australian father, cultural educator, and social justice advocate living on Kabi Kabi Country. Walters shares his deeply personal journey from Cameroon to Germany and finally to the Sunshine Coast—where the racism his young son experienced in kindergarten sparked a lifelong commitment to community-building and anti-racism work.

From his grassroots “leaf experiment” in a classroom to becoming an ambassador for the Shine a Light on Racism campaign, Walters’ story is a testament to turning pain into purpose. He talks candidly about the realities of systemic discrimination in workplaces and schools, the exhaustion of starting over in each new setting, and the courage it takes to speak out when silence feels safer.

This yarn is a reminder that inclusion is more than diversity—it’s about creating spaces where everyone feels like they truly belong.

Resources & Links

Anti-Racism Campaigns & Education

• Shine a Light on Racism (Sunshine Coast Council)
  https://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/living-and-community/community-support/shine-a-light-on-racism

• Shine a Light Educational Resources
  https://haveyoursay.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/shinealightonracism/educate

• Shine a Light: Make a Pledge
  https://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/living-and-community/community-support/shine-a-light-on-racism/pledge

• Racism. It Stops With Me (Australian Human Rights Commission)
  https://itstopswithme.humanrights.gov.au/

• Racism. It Stops With Me – Resource Hub
  https://itstopswithme.humanrights.gov.au/resourcehub

• Racism. It Stops With Me – Support Services
  https://itstopswithme.humanrights.gov.au/take-action/support-services

Reporting Racism

• Racism Register
  https://racismregister.org/

• Racism Register – About
  https://racismregister.org/pages/about

• Call It Out (First Nations Racism Register)
  https://callitout.com.au/

Mental Health & Crisis Support

• 13YARN (Support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples)
  https://www.13yarn.org.au/

• Lifeline Australia (24/7 crisis support)
  https://www.lifeline.org.au/

Mental Health Care Access

• Mental Health Treatment Plans (via your GP)
  https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/mental-health-treatment-plan

Workplace Support

• AccessEAP (Employee Assistance Program provider)
  https://www.accesseap.com.au/

Website: www.blackmagicwoman.com.au

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The Black Magic Woman Podcast is hosted by Mundanara Bayles and is an uplifting conversational style program featuring mainly Aboriginal guests and explores issues of importance to Aboriginal people and communities. Mundanara is guided by Aboriginal Terms of Reference and focusses more on who people are rather than on what they do.

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