Undefeated is a collection of 118 stories written by 90 migrant women in Australia from around 50 countries.

Grit, isolation, loss, sacrifice, regret, adaptability, fear and hope. It’s hard to describe the complexity of migration in one story, an experience that’s shared by over 230 million people around the world. 

Despite this, we are rarely allowed the opportunity to reflect on the nuances of the migrant experience or learn about real people who are too often relegated to stereotypes or stats. 

A new project from the Melbourne-based social enterprise Professional Migrant Women is striving to change this. Over the past two years, folks at PMW have collated 118 stories from 90 migrant women living in Australia and brought them to life in an anthology titled Undefeated. 

In their own words, the authors of these stories reflect on their past and future, allowing fleeting but impactful glimpses into their journey as migrant women in a foreign country. Though they differ in age, cultural background, sexuality and experiences, common threads of navigating a new land and relearning their identities run through all stories.

Many of the women speak of generational trauma and breaking familial cycles. Some share their journey with mental health or the challenge of finding professional work within systems that disadvantage them. The 118 unique stories contain the universe, and any woman with a migrant background will be able to find relatable moments in the pages of this collection.

Farhana Muna is a Bangladeshi woman who was born and raised in Saudi Arabia. She moved to Melbourne in 2008 and works in Diversity and Inclusion with a large following on Instagram. She contributed three pieces to Undefeated, including a powerful personal reflection entitled “F**k strong”.

(Source: Farhana Muna's Linkedin)

Her reflection is a testament to how the attitudes and experiences of migrants have changed dramatically over time. While many of the writers in this collection describe a determination to succeed and overcome, Farhana sees being ‘strong’ as “a badge of honour to glamourise and reward depletion.” She rejects the idea that we need to constantly fight to prove our worth or humanity.

Other contributors, like Sneha Sobti, offer insight into the intersectional experience of being an LGBTIQ+ South Asian person living in Australia. Four of her pieces have been published in Undefeated, including a story about what it was like to march in the first queer South Asian float at Sydney Mardis Gras. Attending the march in a vibrant red lehenga, she spoke of “the best hour of [her] life” when she was able to finally embrace both her queer and South Asian identities.

“We decided not to limit the writers by asking them to speak to a particular theme,” says Fabiola Campbell, founder of Professional Migrant Women and one of the creators of this project. “Instead we wanted to give migrant women the stage to share their own experiences freely and in their own words, regardless of their writing experience.”

(Source: Sneha Sobti's Linkedin)

The callout for stories led to a “response beyond expectations”, which Fabiola says is an indication that migrant women have been invisible for too long. 

Between June and August 2022, workshops were offered to women virtually and in-person to develop their stories in a safe space with professional guidance. This not only created a project that was accessible to aspiring writers but created stories that are accessible to the reader by being frank, direct and authentic.

Now, all profits from the book are being reinvested into Professional Migrant Women's many programs and projects. And the ripple effects of the project continue, with contributing writer Mayase Jere publishing her first book in June, inspired by the Bemba proverbs she learned as a child. 

Living in a country as a migrant, refugee or asylum seeker comes with many challenges that are structural, social and systemic. 

In the age of cultural backlash against identity politics, it’s seen as an affront to take up more space than the small amount you’ve been allocated. At best, this manifests as microaggressions or lack of representation. At worst, it’s racism and violence. 

Yet even in the face of hatred, isolation, and systemic cruelty, many of the women in Undefeated tell stories of compassion, acceptance and resilience. They refuse to judge Australia (or Australians) for the worst of its people - a generosity that is so often not afforded to them in return. 

That is what this collection does best – it is a rebuke of the faceless migrant narrative, instead inviting the reader into the complex lives of migrant women around Australia. And despite being ‘invisible’ in our community, many, like contributing writer Junie Baptiste-Poitevien described, still have something to share from their meaningful lives.

You can order your copy of Undefeated here. 

Melbourne-based readers can meet three of the book’s authors at Broadmeadows library on Thursday 27 July 2023.

Jessica Mathew is a Master of Communication student and a proud second generation Australian. You can connect with her via Linkedin.