Promoting Diversity and Inclusivity with Lisa Tribuzio

Lisa: There is not one culture that is superior to another, even though we might be influenced by the storytelling and narrative of a certain culture, such as people that speak English. That does not necessarily mean that is the only way to be, and that is not the only way we should be. I encourage people to explore different stories, explore different cultures. Go out there and speak to people. You don't have to be best friends with everyone. If you have friendships, that is great, because we know that friendships promote cultural diversity and increase our cultural capital. I encourage education and really connecting with people, not just reading books, but really going out and connecting with people in different ways.

Brian: Today we are talking with Lisa Tribuzio, co-create facilitator with LEXIGO and manager at Lotus Consulting. Lisa is a social worker with 25 years of experience in equal opportunity, lobbying governments to address poverty, social disadvantage, racism, and discrimination. She has worked in the fields of multiculturalism, disability, and youth and family services across community welfare, media, local government, and education. She has travelled through Asia and the Middle East working with human rights organisations. She has a bachelor of science in psychology, bachelor of social work, graduate certification in creative arts therapy, and a master's in Islamic studies. Lisa, welcome to The Native Experience.

Lisa: Thank you so much, Brian, for having me.

Brian: Tell us about yourself and what you are nerding out on right now.

Lisa: My name is Lisa Tribuzio and I am the manager of Lotus Consulting. Lotus Consulting promotes intercultural dialogue and cross-cultural communication, working with diverse communities around how we understand each other, reduce barriers, and effectively communicate in a diverse world. I am a qualified social worker who has worked for about 25 years with communities from all different life stories, but my specialty is around multiculturalism and the rights of people from diverse cultural and faith backgrounds.

Lisa: I am really passionate about honouring the multicultural story here in Australia, especially the way Australia has always been diverse when we look at Aboriginal communities until today. I have worked in the mental health field with people from all different backgrounds who perhaps need support accessing services and getting their voices heard in the Australian kaleidoscope.

Lisa: I am nerding out on being part of an Italian women's theatre group and an Italian women's writers group, where we are promoting and increasing the visibility of Australian-Italian women through storytelling. In the media and Australian literature, there are not a lot of stories of people from ethnic backgrounds. So it is really exciting, especially from a women's perspective.

Brian: What inspires you?

Lisa: Seeing people help other people really inspires me. The caring professions, the community care sector, people who are alleviating harm across the world. There is an organisation I have been looking into which rescues farm animals. Those little acts of kindness are important to recognise. Often we have hero stories where people are clapped because they kick a ball around. But there are also people who are hidden angels behind the scenes, like personal care workers, nurses, doctors, and social workers who are hardly noticed. When I see that kind of work, I get inspired. I am also inspired by animals and the natural world. I have two little puppies that just inspire me. Heart energy inspires me a lot.

Brian: I have noticed a lot more selfishness and negativity since COVID. Looking for those superhero stories, even small ones like someone holding the door open and smiling, that makes your day.

Lisa: I think so. I don't always do that myself. We all have our days where we just want to curl up. COVID has definitely affected the way we relate to ourselves and others. We are all trying to reconnect. But when I see people tirelessly working to alleviate harm, that is what inspires me. To consciously do that, I find really inspiring.

Brian: What are your thoughts on the word diversity?

Lisa: That is a really good question. In Australia, the diversity, equity, and inclusion space is still evolving. If you look at those roles in America, it was birthed from the civil rights movement and the rights of African Americans around affirmative action. It is highly political. In Australia, people have challenged the idea of diversity as if it puts whiteness in the centre and everything else on the periphery.

Lisa: For me, diversity is about power and privilege as well. Who has privilege in our society? Who has more opportunities to be in leadership roles and shape how organisations make decisions? How do we encourage a more equal platform? But if we take that away and just look at diversity, it is about the fact that we are all unique and we all have a different story. It touches on language diversity, faith diversity, disability, mental health, gender diversity, sexual diversity, suburban diversity. In Melbourne, one suburb to the next has such a different cultural profile.

Lisa: I come from a migrant background, Italian and Slovenian. The Italians came to Australia after World War Two, about 70 years ago. I like to learn about my own background. I think that is also part of diversity and storytelling, to know your own background and recognise the gaps in your story.

Brian: There is the professional definition, the politically charged definition, and then the reality that we are all different and have our own uniquenesses.

Lisa: When we talk about respect, we have a lot of unconscious bias. In the fields of diversity and inclusion, it is moving from unconscious bias to conscious inclusion. How do we become more conscious of our prejudices? Our past experiences shape our attitudes. I like to have these conversations. I have caught myself stereotyping. For example, if I have travelled somewhere, I might say, oh, those people are so nice, and I bunch everyone in the same category. I have got to be more aware of how I do that.

Brian: I would have never thought of it like that, where you are paying a compliment but still stereotyping.

Lisa: I think it is called essentialism. I lived in Egypt for a year and travelled around the Middle East. That really shaped how I saw the Arab world. Living in Australia and being in the education system, you don't really hear a lot about the Arab world or Asia. You are educated more from a Western European perspective. Travelling around Asia and the Middle East helped me challenge the way I think about the world. Every time we mix with different cultures, it challenges our own prejudices. When I studied Islamic studies, it helped me understand a different faith compared to the Catholic tradition I was raised in. You can compare and contrast the way you have been raised.

Brian: I also think love and valuing someone as a human being need to be included alongside respect.

Lisa: Absolutely. Ideologies and values are certainly part of diversity. Sometimes we have conflicting values. It is not about trumping over other people's values. It is about saying, you see that from your perspective and I disagree, or I partially agree. Rather than saying you are wrong, it is about saying I don't feel comfortable with that, or I totally feel comfortable with that. In the aged care space, people have different ideas about death and dying. There were debates about how we treat older people in a youth-centred society, versus communities where elders are respected. In my culture, you respect elders. In Chinese cultures as well.

Lisa: When we talk about disability, some people used to see disability as a curse. I totally disagree with that. I see people with disabilities as part of diversity, unique and beautiful ways of being. It is not about making people feel ashamed. It is about having respectful and raw conversations. When you talk about ideology, it is very complex and political. That is how wars start sometimes. But we can also bring peace-building opportunities.

Brian: I have one friend where we are typically on opposite sides of beliefs, yet we are really good friends. We never fight. We just discuss, understand each other's viewpoints, and think about how to collectively move forward.

Lisa: That is a really interesting example because you are able to be your authentic selves and agree to disagree and still respect each other. I have that experience in my own family. Robust and open discussions around politics, often without the same point of view. There is that intergenerational difference. Some people more conservative than others. It can be hilarious. I should film one of our family discussions.

Brian: What are your thoughts on self-awareness?

Lisa: I think it is an essential skill when working with diverse communities. If you look at peak bodies promoting diversity and inclusion around the world, self-awareness has always been mentioned as an essential skill. It is not just a fluffy thing. It is actually a skill. Workplaces would benefit from conversations around self-awareness as it relates to our own heritage, how we see power and privilege, our biases.

Lisa: Self-awareness was something I studied in my social work degree as a skill in working with communities. It could be journaling, speaking to a friend, reflecting. It is about reflective practice. Why did I respond that way? Why am I angry today? It does not always have to have a solution. It is not like a traditional workplace thing where you need a KPI. It is a skill to help reduce barriers in relationships.

Brian: Most people who are not self-aware think they are. That is where it becomes difficult.

Lisa: Exactly. It is about understanding how you are coming across and how you are affecting people.

Brian: Do you have a story from your career or travels that has stuck with you?

Lisa: I was travelling around Syria on a bus by myself. A family saw me and said, welcome to Syria. They took me for a walk, showed me around the town. They would not let me go. Two hours later, I was celebrating the grandmother's birthday in their home. I was in the family photo. The children were giving me their clothes and doing my hair. They would not let me go for three days. I ended up being part of the family.

Lisa: There was another situation in the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. A sheikh, a religious leader from the Bedouin community, took me and my friend on a four-day desert tour. He did not charge us for anything, not even petrol. I said, can we please contribute? He said, absolutely not. I cannot take it. You are a traveller. You are a guest. I have a duty to support you and make you feel safe. Those kinds of things really inspire me. It does not happen all the time. He was so generous. It is a cultural thing.

Lisa: In my career, I worked on a project encouraging young people with intellectual disabilities to have a voice on radio. They were often bored at school and not always accepted. We linked them to radio training where they could interview people and tell whatever stories they wanted, whether it was football results or PlayStation consoles. I was happy to support a programme where they could have a voice.

Brian: What tips and advice would you leave us with on how to provide a truly native experience?

Lisa: There is not one culture that is superior to another, even though we might be influenced by the storytelling and narrative of a certain culture. That does not mean that is the only way to be. I encourage people to explore different stories and cultures. In Melbourne, you have such an opportunity to explore different food, traditions, and festivals. Go out and speak to people. You don't have to be best friends with everyone. If you have friendships, that is great, because friendships promote cultural diversity and increase our cultural capital. I encourage education and really connecting with people, not just reading books, but going out and connecting in different ways.

Brian: Lisa, thank you so much. This was awesome and inspiring.

Lisa: Thank you. You are inspiring to me too. The fact that you have delved into your own background is really interesting.

Brian: Lisa Tribuzio, co-create facilitator with LEXIGO and manager at Lotus Consulting. Thank you for joining us. Always strive for authenticity and embrace the power of native experiences.