When working under the boundaries of bureaucracy and risk-averse protocols, genuine fellowship can strengthen resistance. Relationships come with mistakes and require vulnerability. With blunders comes learning, trust, and strength. Blaklash Creative and Deicke Richards work together trusting that our intentions are aligned. When mistakes happen (this is guaranteed), we learn from them and move forward with more understanding, knowledge, and power to resist colonial practices, processes, and limitations. As architects, our prior built works for First Nations groups do not, and will not, equip us to design for another community. Yet the relationships we have built will. Our partnership is founded in project work, but the relationship is ongoing. This may sound romantic and naive, however, accepting risk and vulnerability is not common in professional practice. We are not insured for white fragility. Prioritising human connection when working under rigid institutions and colonial policy is difficult. However, a relief for bureaucratic frustration is genuine comrades.

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