Urlik Iradukunda is a dancer from Wyndham who helps newly arrived refugees and migrants settle better through the universal language of arts. He tells Fatima Halloum about the need for more creative spaces in the municipality.
What’s your connection to Wyndham?
My connection to Wyndham is that I having been living here for nearly five now.
What do you like about where you live?
What I like about where I live is the growing diverse community. Also as a young African Australian in the creative space, I like that there are spaces that I can go to and just create. Places such as the nature, arts centre etc.
What, if anything, would you change about where you live?
I believe in the power of art, so one think one thing I would change is I would make more art spaces like music studios and dance studios.
Where is your favourite local place to spend time?
My favourite local place to spend time are the parks. I like the parks because they help me reset and clear my mind.
Tell us something people would be surprised to know about you?
I don’t even know if this would be a surprise but I won the Africa’s Got Talent Australia competition in 2022. The competition was about bring the African Australian youths together to celebrate our cultures and show the world our talents, and I am so honoured to have been a part of it.
Tell me about some of your work in the municipality?
I have been working with L2R Dance to provide free dance lessons in the west. For the last two Terms I have been teaching kids at Wyndham Central College Language school and the organisation has been providing external lessons at Hoppers Crossing Youth Centre. I have also worked with Nguvu Moja and
Mwangaza theatre to provide youths and people of colour a space to learn and their talents and do that through my AFROBEAT dance classes. I just want to use my gifts to inspire other, whether it’s in my music or dancing or acting.
How did it feel to be awarded council’s One Wyndham for July?
I felt so honoured and so blessed. I feel like everyday I am making my inner child proud and giving him and others like me a voice in a community/country where people of colour don’t have much of a voice.
