Statement from Academics for Palestine (South Australia and Western Australia) onwithdrawal of Ren (Karen) Wyld’s black&write fellowship
Academics for Palestine South Australia and Western Australia condemn the withdrawal of
the black&write fellowship awarded to First Nations author Karen Wyld (who now publishes
under K. A. Ren Wyld) seemingly for a posting on “x” about Gaza in October 2024. We call
for an immediate public apology to be issued to Ren Wyld and the black&write team, along
with the full reinstatement of the fellowship. We also urge the State Library of Queensland to
affirm its commitment to upholding the integrity and independence of all awards and
fellowship programs under its administration, including black&write! and the David Unaipon
Award.
This withdrawal is part of a dangerous undermining by governmental authorities, media, arts
leadership and university administrators of free speech and academic freedom in the wake of
the events following 7 October 2023 and the genocide carried out on Gaza subsequently.
These efforts are attempting to silence 1) advocacy for the human rights of Palestinians, 2)
drawing attention to the ongoing genocide and 3) support for fulfilment of obligations under
international law.
The black&write fellowship is awarded to two First Nations writers and provides $15,000
and a publishing opportunity with University of Queensland Press. Wyld was awarded the
fellowship by a panel of judges who assessed their 110,000-word manuscript documenting
seven generations of stolen Indigenous children.
According to a media release by the Queensland State Librarian and CEO Vicki McDonald
AM on the 22th May 2025, the decision to withdraw the award was made after the
Queensland Arts Minister, John-Paul Langbroek, said in parliament that he had “taken the
decision that this award should not be presented” at the event to be held at the state library.
McDonald’s statement claimed: “Based on that decision, State Library of Queensland
yesterday postponed the black&write! ceremony”.
Part of the appalling nature of this travesty against artistic freedom and free speech is the fact
that Wyld was alerted to the withdrawal of the fellowship by a journalist for the Australian
and only hours before the award was to be bestowed.
We would like to share part of the acceptance speech that Ren Wyld had prepared and was
prevented from giving:
“Next Monday it will be twenty-eight years since the Bringing Them Home report was
presented. In that time, only 6% of the recommendations have been actioned. Stolen
Generations survivors are passing on, without justice. Recommendations need to be
completed now, not when they're all gone. And current rates of out-of-home out-of-
community child removals need to stop. We must learn from the past, and not keep
repeating injustices.
We're witnessing an unprecedented live-streamed genocide. Last week was the 77th
Nakba commemoration, and Palestinian people are still enduring catastrophic
injustices. As I speak of the Stolen Generations, right now the apartheid state of Israel
is murdering, abducting, abusing and forcibly-disappearing Indigenous children in
Palestine. What will these stolen children be called in the future? Will they ever see
justice? We must not be silent or silenced. We all need to speak up against crimes of
humanity - past and present. Through sharing stories we strengthen global solidarity,
speak truth, and plot better futures. Literary programs, such as Black and Write
Fellowship for writers & editorial internship, enable our stories, our truths, to be
heard. I'm honoured that the judges selected this story” (posted on x on 20 May 2025
@1KarenWyld).
Ren Wyld had won this fellowship through a rigorous process. The fact that multiple panel
judges for the Queensland Literary Awards resigned following the decision indicates the scale
of the travesty. Wyld had important things to share through their artistic work and it is a loss
to Australian dialogue on our historical past and shared futures. Wyld’s rights were
undermined in a most egregious manner, with possible long-term impact on their career and
contributions to Australian truth-telling processes. We voice our solidarity with Ren Wyld and
wish to amplify their words here as a voice of much needed moral courage in our dark times.
We urge the State Library of Queensland to take swift and transparent action by reinstating
the fellowship in full and issuing a sincere apology to Ren Wyld and the black&write! team.
Moving forward, we expect the State Library to safeguard the integrity and autonomy of its
literary programs, including black&write! and the David Unaipon Award, ensuring they
remain free from political interference and true to their original purpose of supporting First
Nations voices.
Links:
https://x.com/1KarenWyld/status/1924739494013792612
https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/about/news-and-media/media-centre/statement-state-librarian-
and-ceo-vicki-mcdonald-am
https://overland.org.au/2025/05/open-letter-from-first-nations-storytellers-to-the-queensland-
state-library-and-the-queensland-education-and-arts-minister/
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/21/state-library-of-queensland-karen-
wyld-first-nations-writer-award-gaza-tweet-ntwnfb
https://theconversation.com/a-first-nations-writers-fellowship-was-withdrawn-by-
queenslands-government-whats-going-on-257445
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-27/literary-awards-fellowship-pulled-k-a-ren-wyld-
langbroek/105335746
Further information, please contact:
academics4p.sa@gmail.com
academics4palestine_wa@proton.me
