Melbourne Man, 20, Left Gang Life to Build Bridges

When Mar Manasseh Riek was 13, he thought he'd found his tribe in a Melbourne street gang where other first-generation Australians understood what it felt like to be different.

A year later, he walked away from that life to pursue something better. Today, at 20, he's using his story to build understanding between communities.

Growing up South Sudanese Australian, Mar first encountered racism in Year 2 when white classmates wouldn't let him play football in the schoolyard. The rejection stung, and as media coverage of South Sudanese gang members increased, he felt unfairly singled out just for hanging out with friends.

The gang offered something sports teams couldn't. It promised brotherhood, purpose, and a place to belong for young Black boys, many from single-parent homes carrying displacement and trauma.

But within months, Mar felt a deep conflict between his actions and his values. He realized gang membership had no future, and he still wanted to go to university after school.

So he chose himself and left, though he maintained some ties to protect friends he still cared about. It was confusing to live between two worlds: gentleman and leader by day, street-affiliated by night.

Why This Inspires

Mar's final break came after a friend was killed in gang violence in 2025. Though he wasn't involved, the guilt hit hard because he knew he'd been part of a culture that inspired younger kids to follow the same dangerous path.

That loss became his turning point. Mar now openly shares his journey, explaining that children of refugees and immigrants naturally struggle to fit in at first, especially when coming from war-torn countries with vastly different cultures.

He's witnessed xenophobia affect not just Africans but Vietnamese, Italian, Arab, and Afghan communities too. While he understands fear of the unfamiliar, he emphasizes that South Sudanese families come to Australia seeking peaceful, fruitful lives, not to take over.

His message to fearful Australians is simple: spend time in South Sudanese communities and get to know people before judging them. He's building his own version of South Sudanese Australian culture, celebrating traditional dances, language, and dishes while challenging outdated gender expectations.

Mar's story proves that one choice to change direction can create ripples of understanding across entire communities.