Jessica Mauboy is joy in motion. In the latest episode of the `Finding Fearless with marie claire‘ podcast, Jess spontaneously breaks into song with familiar tunes by Mariah, Whitney (and even Billy Ray Cyrus), while her signature husky laugh can’t help but make you feel happy – and that’s before she reveals what amazing tricks she can do with her tongue!
But this month Jess is talking about other topics that are close to her heart, fronting the February cover of marie claire – along with Miranda Tapsell and Sam Harris – to push for Indigenous constitutional recognition with our `Its Time’ campaign. This initiative aims to shine a light on the shameful fact that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are still not recognised in the Australian constitution and that urgency is required NOW to bring about change. marie claire has joined forces with some 30+ activists, entertainers, academics and entrepreneurs to say enough is enough.
When discussing the emotional topic with marie claire editor Nicky Briger in the latest episode of the podcast, Jess breaks down, trying to describe why that exclusion from the constitution and failure to acknowledge Indigenous people’s prior existence on the land before James Cook’s first voyage here, is so heartbreaking.
“Not being recognised in the constitution is the hardest part – and it makes me really sad,” Jess says, choking on tears. “And as human beings, you go, that is just absolutely unfair. For us not to be included … it’s just not right.”
While Jess may have first found her voice growing up in Darwin, it seems her journey has now given her another reason to use that voice in a more powerful and purposeful way.
“We have stalled in the past because there is that fear of `If I stand up and speak out what’s going to happen to me?’ But I now think `Let’s not be scared.”
Get your tissues out peeps. This podcast episode broke our hearts (though the tongue confession is also so worth it!)
Listen below to Jess’s remarkable interview or on the podcast platform of your choice. Don’t forget to rate and review and definitely subscribe so you don’t miss another episode of Finding Fearless with marie claire.
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