Sara Mansour is a lawyer, a spoken word poet, and the artistic director of the Bankstown Poetry Slam.
I reached out to Sara early this summer to hear more about the Bankstown Poetry Slam and how it came to be it. I’ve been following it for a while and loved how it started as a way for Sara and her friends to create space and share stories through the art of the spoken word. She opened the Bankstown Poetry Slam to the wider community, inviting poets and writers to share their work with a wider audience.
Sara shared her story of growing up in Australia - her love for community and the challenges faced by so many marginalised voices. Sara’s experience of cultivate a unique platform is one of leading by example and authenticity.
I have fast tracked Sara's episode to this week because now more than ever we need to hear from voices like hers. We met just 24-hours before the tragic events that befell Christchurch - it is with both sadness and hope that I look back at that moment where our positivity about the work being done to create space for marginalised voices is happening now.
It is with hope that I bring you this week’s episode as we hear about how Sara is doing the work every day; to share her story and speak truth to power.
Sara shared the names and work of the following women who she admires:
Sara Saleh, Activist and Artist
Yassmin Abdul Magied, Broadcaster, Engineer, Author
Jahra Rager, Movement Artist and Writer
Lina J, Food photographer and stylist