Voice For Change is an awesome new project recently launched by Mushroom Group with support from the Victorian Government – featuring some of Speaker TV’s favourite artists. The series of videos kicked off with Khaled “Azmarino” Abdulwahad of Diafrix, pictured above.

The community-based program is aimed at raising awareness of issues affecting Victorian youth – relating to issues such as social inclusion, employment, education, health, family and experiences of discrimination. The initiative is to empower at-risk individuals and to encourage participation in creative endeavours that foster positive connections to their local community. Voice For Change has found that creative activities act as a motivator for participation, provide opportunities for young people to develop critical thinking skills (opening important pathways for further education), and aid in building cultural identity and community engagement.

Voice For Change is brought to life by telling the stories of some of Australia’s most exciting artists and athletes today, including Urthboy, Diafrix, Sampa the Great, B Wise, Ecca Vandal, Majak Daw and Archie Thompson. All coming from a diverse range of cultures and experiences, each story is uniquely important and engaging.

You can view the released videos below – and keep an eye out for new videos coming from Ecca Vandal and Archie Thompson via Voice For Change‘s Facebook and Youtube.

Khaled “Azmarino”Abdulwahad, one-half of Melbourne Hip Hop duo, Diafrix, speaks of his experiences with racial profiling as a refugee. Abdulwahad goes on to describe how he came to discover a connection to community, education, and work through Hip Hop.

Tim Levinson, or as we know and love him, Urthboy, speaks of coming from a regional community and his past involvement in petty crime. Levinson broke free of this lifestyle with the help of hip-hop and now acts as an advocate for issues such as human right, Indigenous health and education, and Australia’s refugee policy.

Majak Daw discusses his experiences as a refugee dealing with racism and finding hope through football. Daw was the first ever Sudanese-born player for the AFL at just 25 years old and describes the positive effects this had within his family and community.

Sampa Tembo, or as you know her, the appropriately named Sampa The Great, speaks of being a female in the traditionally male-dominated hip-hop community. Not one to let anything stop her, Tembo speaks of finding her inner strength and voice through creativity and music.

James Iheakanwa, AKA B-Wise, speaks of growing up in regional Australia before settling down in Sydney. It was in Sydney that he was able to connect and escape through music, solidifying himself as an important member of the Hip Hop and youth community.