About
We are the leading organisation collecting the voices of the Latin American migrant community in Australia and developing initiatives to respond to the needs of our communities.
Latin Stories Australia is a charitable organisation founded in 2015 by two Mexican immigrants, Cristina Abela and Trini Abascal. Beginning as “just a blog to share migration stories”, we quickly became a focal point amongst Latin American migrants who are looking to build networks, have a sense of community, and experience meaningful workshops on relevant topics.
We innovate in the way we deliver our projects. We have used storytelling, photographs and a documentary film as tools to increase multiculturalism and a sense of belonging; board-games and theatre to reflect on gender equality and violence against women; well-researched frameworks and art-based cultural techniques to empower women by increasing their sense of belonging, exploration of identity, and inclusion in society. We have also supported our community with several mental health sessions and food relief vouchers.
In 2020, we received the prestigious OHTLI award, the maximum honour and acknowledgment that the Mexican Government gives to Mexicans living abroad, for our continuous work for the Mexican and Latin American community in Australia.
In 2021, we won the Victorian Government Multicultural Awards for Excellence in Community Innovation for our outside-the-box thinking to address the problems faced by our communities and share our culture with a wider audience.
In 2022, our documentary Nuestras Voces won ‘Best Historical Film’ at the Toronto International Women Film Festival and ‘Best Feature Film’ at the Latino Feedback Film Festival.
In 2023, our project La Sobremesa won the ‘People’s Choice” of the TMRWW awards.
Vision
Latin American contributions are celebrated in Australia, and all Australians participate in and promote multiculturalism, wellbeing, and social cohesion.
Mission
To provide platforms that (1) create awareness of the Latin American contribution to Australia's social capital and diversity, (2) enable participation in Australian society and social cohesion, (3) increase social justice and equity, and (4) support general community experience of wellbeing.
Main Activities
(1) We increase social justice and equity by providing workshops/projects that responds to the needs of our communities.
(2) We organise, and/or participate in, projects/events that either advance culture and/or help to the social or public welfare.
(3) We collect and publish the stories/voices of the Latin American community where their journey for succeeding in Australia is shared.
(4) We support those in need by providing food vouchers and/or other emergency relief.
Our People
CRISTINA ABELA | CO-FOUNDER
Country of origin: Mexico.
Favourite place in Australia: Mornington Peninsula.
Biggest surprise when arriving to Australia: It's cultural diversity .
Biggest challenge: climbing the corporate ladder again.
Piece of advice: Reach out, you never know who might have the best piece of advice for you.
TRINI ABASCAL | CO-FOUNDER
Country of origin: Mexico.
Favourite place in Australia: The Northern Territory.
Biggest surprise when arriving to Australia: The lack of appreciation of Aboriginal people and their culture.
Biggest challenge: Being yourself in another language.
Piece of advice: Stay positive.
OUR ANNUAL REPORTS
PROJECTS EVALUATION REPORTS
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF OUR LOGO?
Why the conversation marks?
The dialogue between cultures fosters a plural, diverse and respectful society. We provide platforms for conversations and empowerment to advance multiculturalism and social cohesion.
And the faces?
They represent the our community. Through their stories, individual experiences are shared, and our culture and collective achievements are highlighted. These stories also represent the needs of our communities. When personal stories are shared in a collective way, or help to inform projects, they create a positive impact in the whole community. The collective stories create LATIN STORIES AUSTRALIA.
The colours…
They represent the diversity in Latin American cultures and landscapes. They also represent the happiness and enthusiasm that characterise our societies; and emphasise our diversity without reinforcing social stereotypes of gender, race or beauty.
our previous logo
Our logo represented the Latin American migrants to Australia.
‘Arrived 1973’ represents the beginning of the Latin American immigration wave which surged from 1973 to the early 90s (Carr & Minns, 2014).
Latin American: From the region of South America, Central America and the Caribbean.
Interviews
