If I Was White by Vernon Ah Kee

This text work by Vernon Ah Kee comprises 30 panels, and is almost like a poem in visual form. Each panel has a series of statements that all begin with the words “If I was white…” With humour and irony, Ah Kee reflects on what it means to be a First Nations person in modern Australian society, and confronts the systemic discrimination and inequality that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians face. Each of the panels focuses on a personal experience that can feel both intimate and raw, yet the words also prompt empathy in viewers, which perhaps might result in a change in attitudes. Take a moment to read through all the statements carefully. Which one do you think was the most powerful, and how did it make you feel?