We are Regional Victorians
of Colour.
We are a collective of people of colour living in regional Victoria who are building stronger communities and having fun while doing it!
Our vision is that people of colour belong, are valued and can contribute to regional communities. Through our initiatives, we advocate for inclusion and social cohesion, centring the aspirations of newly arrived communities in regional and rural Victoria.
At the core of our work is self-determination, advocacy and placemaking: the shaping of meaningful grassroots communities where newly arrived community members can gather, celebrate, and fully express their identities.
In Bendigo, The Old Church on the Hill is home to Regional Victorians of Colour.
Our Journey
Regional Victorians of Colour was founded by a small group of people of colour in Bendigo back in 2021. We started the organisation because of our own lived experiences of racism while working in the community sector and wanted to make a difference. We chose the name Regional Victorians of Colour on purpose to symbolise that we are part of the bigger, global movement: to challenge the individuals, institutions, and systems that uphold racial injustice.
In our initial year, our activities were primarily focussed in Bendigo. However since then, our reach has expanded to newly arrived communities across Macedon, Mount Alexander, Loddon, Swan Hill, Campaspe, Greater Shepparton, and Greater Bendigo LGAs.
RVOC has come a long way in just a few years. While we position ourselves as a strong voice for newly arrived communities in regional Victoria, our unique approach of keeping the community at the heart and centre of our work is getting noticed and making progress. With the aspirations of newly arrived community members as the driving force behind everything we do, RVOC celebrates the journey we’ve been on so far, and remains dedicated to a promising future that lies ahead.
Our Values
Our values guide our decisions and actions, and highlight what we stand for:
Self-determination
Regional and rural people of colour are the narrators of our own stories, on our own terms. Our participation in decision making regarding our communities’ happiness, health and wellbeing is essential. We advocate for greater inclusion of people of colour in leadership and decision making positions across all sectors of society.
Connection
Connection is key to building strong, inclusive, welcoming communities. We recognise connection to ourselves, each other, each other’s cultures, histories, communities, land and environments as important to our wellbeing. We believe in the strength of cross-cultural connections and working together to learn, grow, and make positive change.
Inclusion
Inclusion is key to achieving our purpose. Everyone, regardless of their background, identity, or differences, should be respected, have their perspectives considered, and be able to contribute fully to society. Through our initiatives, we practice inclusion and support others to do the same.
Celebration
Multicultural communities are vibrant and strong. We recognise and celebrate what it means to be regional and rural people of colour, and the intergenerational strengths and capacities of newly arrived communities.