Matildas star Kyah Simon has joined anti-racism movement Reflect Forward as an ambassador with the Tottenham Hotspur striker set to inspire, educate, and empower young Australians to be anti-racism champions in their schools and communities.
Simon, an Anaiwan woman, was confirmed as an ambassador following a partnership established between Reflect Forward, Professional Footballers Australia (PFA), and the leading anti-racism education charity in the United Kingdom, Show Racism the Red Card.
Reflect Forward is an anti-racism movement in the Australian sports industry, which encourages conversations between athletes, teachers, and students about racism in sport and society.
Simon confirmed her ambassadorial role at Reflect Forward’s ‘Change the Game’ anti-racism forum in September, alongside PFA Co-Chief Executive Beau Busch, Western United defender and PFA Executive Member Nikolai Topor-Stanley and Ged Grebby, the Founder and CEO of UK-based Show Racism the Red Card.
“As a professional athlete and role model, I recognise the platform that I can use to influence positive change within sport and society and that sport is such an important vehicle for conversation,” Simon said.
“I’m passionate about creating meaningful change and through sharing my experiences and insights I can hopefully help drive conversations that might make a difference.”
Simon will become the face of a range of Reflect Forward’s programs, including the creation of a broadcast documentary series exploring racism in sport between Australia, the UK, and the US, anti-racism school lesson plans, and a national anti-racism schools competition.
Reflect Forward co-founder and Director of Programs and Partnerships, Jamal Elsheikh, welcomed the new partnership with the PFA and SRtRC.
“It’s really exciting to extend the work we’ve been doing in the anti-racism space,” Elsheikh said.
“The projects we are going to execute over the next two years will create many resources for schools and community sport that can reach tens of thousands of young people.
“Through the partnership with the PFA and Show Racism the Red Card, and with Kyah joining as our ambassador, we can extend the reach of our message that sport can be a powerful and impactful voice to eradicate racism in our communities.”
Show Racism the Red Card has delivered anti-racism education via sports and elite athletes to schools in the UK for over 25 years, providing Reflect Forward with a proven model for its program delivery.
“Racism is society’s problem, but sports people will capture the ear of young people,” SRtRC Founder and CEO Ged Grebby said.
“They are role models for young people, and therefore young people will listen and learn from them. It’s a model that’s worked well for us in the UK and has created meaningful change. In 2022 we’ll pass the one million mark in terms of students educated.”
Through its partnership with the PFA, Reflect Forward has three ‘courageous conversations for change’ featuring professional footballers Bernie Ibini, Rhys Williams, Emma Ilijoski, Allira Toby, Ben Halloran and Kusini Yengi.
About Reflect Forward
Reflect Forward is an anti-racism initiative in sports. It educates the younger generations about the impacts of racism through the power of sport. They work with schools, elite athletes, and national sporting organisations to strive for the eradication of racism. For more information, visit www.reflectforward.org
