editorials.

Black Thoughts Matter by Chelsea Watego

Providing critical context to some of the groundbreaking essays published across a range of digital platforms, ‘Black thoughts matter’ honours the Black thinkers that have shaped Watego’s intellectual and political formation to date. It is a testament to the love, power and joy that is at the heart of Black thinking and writing in the fight against racial violence in so-called ‘Australia’.

Purchase Black Thoughts Matter from Common Room

Website listing of publications:

IndigenousX
The conversation
The Guardian

Always Bet on Black (Power)

“As a Blackfulla, I don’t claim to speak for a people, but I do write from a place. A place of power. Mine.”

chelsea watego

book chapters.

Essays that Changed Australia

Essays that Changed Australia | Book by Esther Anatolitis | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster AU

‪Until our lungs give out – George Yancey

Until Our Lungs Give Out: Conversations on Race, Justice, and the Future – 9781538176429 (rowman.com)

‪Woven

Magabala Books

‪Fire Front

Fire Front: First Nations poetry and power today | UQP 

editorials/essays

race + gender

McQuire, A. (2025, May 28)

Statement by Prof Chelsea Watego regarding Bandarran Marra’Gu Gathering Strength Summit.

Watego, C,. Macoun, A,. Singh, D,. Strakosch, E,. Yow Yeh, K,. (2025, January 16)

The Human Rights Commission has handed down a report on racism at Australian universities. Here’s why it fails

Watego, C,. Singh, D. (2022, March 31)

Human+Rights+Commission+Submission_Singh-Watego-.pdf

Bond, C. (2015, January 1).

The ‘Rise’ Of Aboriginal Women: From Domesticated Cow To Cash Cow – New Matilda

Bond, C. (2016, January 25). The abuse of Aboriginal women via racialized and gendered discourses.

Black Nations Rising ISSUE 1 by The Black Rising Magazine – Issuu

Bond, C. (2016, August 5).

The white man’s burden: Bill Leak and telling ‘the truth’ about Aboriginal lives (theconversation.com)

Bond, C. (2018, August 25).

Aboriginal women are Black women too | SBS NITV

Bond, C. (2018, May 28).

Because She Is Black – IndigenousX

Bond, C. (2018, March 21).

*A white woman took my baby* – IndigenousX

Bond, C. (2018, January 29).

The Audacity of Anger – IndigenousX

Bond, C. (2018, November 29).

Beware this Black man in a tailored suit | SBS NITV

Bond, C. (2019, February 27).

If Black men could talk: why we need an accurate portrayal of urban Indigenous masculinity | SBS NITV

Bond, C (2020, September 20).

Australian Human Rights Commission, where the bloody hell are you? | SBS The Point

Watego, C (2021).

Honouring the rage of Black feminist pioneer bell hooks (smh.com.au)

Watego,C (2020).

I will not be lectured on violence by these women – IndigenousX

Watego, C., Macoun, A., Singh, D & Strakosch, E (2021, May 25).

Carceral feminism and coercive control: when Indigenous women aren’t seen as ideal victims, witnesses or women (theconversation.com)

McQuire, A., Watego, C., Singh, D. & Strakosch, E (2023, March 30).

What happened to the Senate inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women? (theconversation.com)

race + sports

Bond, C. (2016, September 29).

Refusing to play the race game (theconversation.com)

Bond, C. (2017, August 25).

Fair Game? The audacity of Héritier Lumumba (theconversation.com)

Bond, C. (2019, June 23).

Don’t Sing Me Your ‘National’ Anthem | SBS NITV

Bond, C. (2020, Dec 8).

Australian sport offers celebrations of Aboriginal ‘culture’ instead of standing up for Black lives | Chelsea Watego | The Guardian

Watego, C (2021, August).

Taylor Walker’s video apology for racist remarks is groundhog day for the AFL | AFL | The Guardian

Watego, C (2021, February).

When Collingwood Football Club take the High Ground, Literally – IndigenousX

Watego, C (2021)

Black joy: why Ash Barty’s Wimbledon win was a triumph of Indigenous struggle and strength | Chelsea Watego | The Guardian

Bradley, M & Watego, C (2021) AFL INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGED RACISM ATHAWTHORN FOOTBALLCLUB – A VICTIM RESPONDS

AFL STATEMENT | Marque Lawyers

Watego, (2022) 

What does it mean to play sport on First Nation’s land? The Conversation

race + health

Bond, C (2015, March 23). Indigenous-controlled sector the clear loser of Indigenous Reform Agenda. Crickey.

‘Unfair and arbitrary. Is the only thing new in the Indigenous Advancement Strategy a new round of a massive funding cuts?’ – Croakey Health Media

Bond, C. (2016, November 24).

Letter to my former self: 7 insights for becoming an ethical Indigenous researcher. Croakey: The Crickey Blog.

Bond, C. (2016, November 21).

Leading Aboriginal researcher raises some critical questions for the NHMRC. Croakey: The Crickey Blog

Bond, C. (2017, October 16).

We just Black matter: Australia’s indifference to Aboriginal lives and land (theconversation.com)

Bond, C (2017) Still here, QPAC ‘Story’.

QPAC Story Act 2 2017 by Queensland Performing Arts Centre – Issuu

Bond, C. (2018, January 15).

Victims and Vultures – the profitability of problematising the Aborigine – IndigenousX

Bond, C. (2018, October 29).

Moving Beyond the Frontline: The Power and Promise of an Indigenous Health Workforce. IndigenousX.

Bond, C., Whop, L. & Drummond, A. (2019, June 13).

The Blackfulla Test: 11 reasons that Indigenous health research grant/publication should be rejected – IndigenousX

Bond, C. (2020, July 31).

Chelsea Bond: The ‘new’ Closing the Gap is about buzzwords, not genuine change for Indigenous Australia (theconversation.com)

Bond, C. (2020, April 3).

The answer to Indigenous vulnerability to coronavirus: a more equitable public health agenda (theconversation.com)

Bond, C (2020, September 12).

A new inquiry into Indigenous policy must address the root causes of failure (theconversation.com)

Watego, C & Whop, L (2022, Feb 26).

Racism is a public health crisis – but Black death tolls aren’t the answer (theconversation.com)

Watego, C, Singh, D, Newhouse, G, Kajlich, H, Hampson, R (2022).

‘I Catch the Pattern Of Your Silence’ (meanjin.com.au)

race + arts

Bond, C. (2014, November 6).

Black Comedy: the ABC makes a bold foray into race relations (theconversation.com)

Bond, C. (2014, November 21).

SBS’s First Contact is the real ‘festering sore’ of the nation (theconversation.com)

Bond, C. (2014, July 19).

Why I will celebrate NAIDOC Week next year. Croakey: The Crikey Blog

Bond, C. (2016, May 20).

Why I struggle with the idea of Struggle Street filming in my suburb (theconversation.com)

Bond, C. (2017, November 29).

Is chronicling Indigenous despair the only way we can get on television? – IndigenousX

Bond, C. (2017, June 28).

Class is the new black: The dangers of an obsession with the ‘Aboriginal middle class’ – ABC News

Bond, C. (2018, November 14).

The ‘modern’ Indigenous family that apparently defies the stereotypes, is actually very stereotypically Black | SBS NITV

Bond, C. (2019, Jan 30).

How settlers spin Black inadequacy and dysfunction to undermine our resistance and strength | SBS NITV

Watego, C (2021).

International Women’s Day 2021: Where are the Indigenous voices? (smh.com.au)

Watego, C (2021, March).

From Blackness – the genius and generosity of Steven Oliver – IndigenousX

Watego, C (2021).

The Beauty of Black Death and Black Lives, 7 Stages of grieving playbook.

Watego, C (2022).

Really Black, Cairns Art Gallery

Watego, C (2022).

More than the masks we wear, Cairns Art Gallery

race, politics + pop culture

Bond, C. (2014, March 25).

Andrew Bolt isn’t a racist, but … – ABC News

Bond, C. (2014, November 21).

When the object teaches: Indigenous pedagogies, position and presence in Australian Universities. Rights Now.

Bond, C. (2015, January 26).

 The day I don’t feel Australian? That would be Australia Day. The Conversation.

Bond, C. (2015, January 1).

Why I won’t call you a coconut…anymore. Black Nations Rising.

Bond, C. (2017, May 30).

Fifty years on from the 1967 referendum, it’s time to tell the truth about race (theconversation.com)

Bond, C. (2018, May 21).

The irony of the Aboriginal academic – IndigenousX

Bond, C. (2019, May 30).

The uncomfortable truth about Reconciliation | SBS NITV

Bond, C. (2019, March 18).

Urgent opposition to white supremacy is necessary, but have you over egged the celebration of Eggboy? | SBS NITV

Bond, C., & Hurley, Angelina (2019, January 24).

26 Other Shitty Things We Have To Survive in January, IndigenousX.

Bond, C. (2020, July 15).

Black Lives Matter – A Brisbane Blacks Manifesto – IndigenousX

Bond, C. (2020, April 28).

Dear Ancestor: A Poem by Dr Chelsea Bond from ‘Fire Front: First Nations poetry and power today’ | SBS NITV

Watego, C (2021).

Always Bet on Black (Power) (meanjin.com.au)

Watego, C (2021, April).

They Say Justice, We Say Murder (meanjin.com.au)

Watego, C (2021, December).

For the love of Blackfullas, The Sunday Paper.

Watego, C (2022, January 26).

Each year the Invasion Day cry gets louder. Each year we add names to the list of our dead | Chelsea Watego | The Guardian

Watego, C (2023, 19 July).

Voice to Parliament: Why mob are staying silent – IndigenousX