Stan Grant, an Aboriginal journalist and TV host, has announced his departure from Australian TV screens after a career spanning more than three decades
Grant made history in 1992 by becoming the first Aboriginal presenter on prime-time commercial TV in Australia and won several awards.
His decision to leave has sparked conversations about racism and media diversity in Australia, where Indigenous people make up 5% of the population but only 2% of journalists.
The media industry is disproportionately white, with a 2022 study finding over 75% of TV reporters or presenters were from an Anglo-Celtic cultural background.
Critics cite this lack of diversity for contributing to high-profile controversies such as a racist cartoon depiction of Serena Williams and an all-white panel discussion on Channel Seven's Sunrise which sparked protests.
The Media Diversity Australia report prompted the five TV networks examined to acknowledge their lack of diversity, but the channels also questioned the report's findings.
Many Australian communities' stories go untold due to the lack of cultural diversity in the media industry, with some journalists facing more barriers to entry than their peers.
Rhianna Patrick, a former ABC reporter, joined the industry to represent her community in the media but later left due to racial abuse and a lack of diversity in the industry.
Many culturally diverse journalists face similar experiences, including racial abuse from audiences and peers, pressure to cover specific issues, and feeling disproportionately responsible for coverage of their community.
Despite efforts to improve diversity, many journalists of color have left the industry due to these issues.
The departure of two senior journalists, Dan Fallwell and Stan Grant, has brought attention to the issue of racism in the media and prompted the ABC to review its handling of racism directed at staff.
However, some commentators are skeptical that this will lead to lasting change in the underlying structures of the industry.
The speaker is stating that they are currently experiencing difficulty or setbacks, but they are resilient and will bounce back.
They express a willingness to face challenges again, and they are supported by the love of their community.