Drugs, crime, and violence. Cheap fabrics, cheap food and "culture to go". These are occidental images, outsiders' perceptions of Cabramatta. For young people who live here, there is nothing exotic about family, friends and food. Ironically, many do not feel safe in other parts of the city. For them, Cabramatta is a source of strength, solidarity, and sanctuary.

tu, 22 year-old vietnamese-australian
i'm not comfortable in other part of the city
cause the language i can't speak english
like the other people
probably when i speak they don't understand
it's different in cabra, they understand
other suburb you don't know no-one
you don't know what goes around there
you can't catch up
you feel like a stupid person

trinh, 19 year-old vietnamese-australian
cabramatta is very important
especially for vietnamese people
we should be able to keep that
they have got the rest of sydney
because go a few stations down the line
go to liverpool and it's like any western city

snoop, 17 year-old chinese-australian
people up there always look down
on people down here, you know,
in cabra i mean if you're asian
and you went to the north shore
and you're chatting up a surfie or something
and you told her you're from cabramatta
she'll stay clear of you, you know
it's just the way things are  

ngoc, 17 year-old vietnamese-australian
for some asian people
cabramatta
is the closest thing they can call home
it's like they're coming to a new country
at least they can come to cabramatta
they don't have to totally change their way of life
it's like an asian city - make people feel at home

mickey, 24 year-old serbian-australian
people that come here for drugs
that's all they do
they're not part of cabra
but we live here
most of the asians
they live here
they're a part of this place
like i am  [top]

karen, 18 year-old chinese-australian
there's a lot of good stuff here
but cause the drugs are here
everyone just thinks we're all bad
and now with this pauline hanson thing
it's like all asians are bad

you think in your head
everyone looks at me as if i'm
an asian gangsta, asian dealer
so there's no point

it's like
you have to show them you're not what they say
but it's really hard to do
because they've already made up their mind
you're a dealer, no good, whatever, you know

tien, 19 year-old vietnamese-australian
it's a bad reputation if you say you're from cabra
they straight away think you're bad you know,
you're a gangster or something
but you can't really say that
i mean not everybody's a gangster or bad in cabramatta

tram, 19 year-old vietnamese-australian
lately they're always talking about how to clean up cabra usually about how to get more cops
but my friends are not
pieces of garbage
that can be cleaned up or put away
they're people
just like you
maybe they're even
your son or daughter
or your cousin's son or daughter
or your neighbour's kids
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