RACISM is an element the El Tobgy brothers, like many others, have unfortunately had to deal with since they were born.
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Nazar and Ziad (both born in Sydney) and their family moved to Mollymook in 2010 after spending a large period of their childhood in Egypt - as their father was born and raised in Cairo.
"Racism is something I've had to deal with throughout my life, especially during high school," Nazar, who's father is Egyptian and mother is Australian, said.
"By this point, I've been called every name people can think of.
"It's a very hard thing to deal with but I believe the only way to overcome it is to respond in a non-violent way and try to educate the racist people."
Despite this adversity, both teenagers are extremely grateful for their upbringing.
"The main difference between living in Egypt, which has a big Arabic cultural influence, and my current home on the South Coast is the sense of community and family-like friendships I have in Egypt," Ziad said.
"In Cairo, a walk to the corner shop will be different every time and will give you sensory overload - you don't get anything like that on the South Coast.
"The two cultures are contrastingly different and honestly, for me, there are amazing aspects, I get to experience in both."
As Ziad, who plays basketball for the Illawarra Hawks youth league men's side, alludes to, he is extremely proud of his heritage.
"Being a mixed-race person, I'm sure a lot of my experiences are ones other mixed-race people can relate to, such as wondering where you fit in," the 17-year-old said.
"Personally, I am extremely vocal and public about who I am and where my ancestors come from and I'm very proud of it.
"Over the years, I have had every racial slur under the sun directed at me, so I have developed a thick skin.
"My goal is to change my slice of the world.
"While I'm proud of my Australian heritage, my Egyptian heritage is what truly defines me as a person.
"I dream of one day leading Egypt to a gold medal at the basketball World Cup."
The racism came to a head for Nazar in 2015, when he was in year three at Milton Public School.
"I was giving a speech for a multicultural public speaking competition at my primary school, discussing my background and racism," he said.
"I was wearing two black socks and when I finished the speech, one of my friends jokingly said it was racist I wasn't wearing white socks.
"So I came back the next day wearing one black and one white sock and I have been doing it ever since - it's an initiative that's very important to me.
"Some people say socks should be separated by colour, two black or two white, but I don't agree at all.
"Whenever I wear these odd socks, I'm making a powerful statement we are all equal.
"I have one black and one white parent, which is another symbolism that comes with the socks."
With the racial issues currently sweeping the United States, the brothers decided now is a perfect time to try and spread their message even more, by starting a white and black campaign at Ulladulla High School.
"For my brother and I, wearing black and white socks is somewhat of a silent protest," Ziad, who is Ulladulla High's vice-captain, said.
"It shows people what we stand for and makes a subtle statement with something so simple - it's a great conversation starter.
"We have been talking about starting this movement for a long time now around the family dinner table.
"Nazar and I have been wearing one black and one white sock every day since 2015 but since the events happened in the US, we felt like we should strike while the iron is hot and really try and get the message out there while the whole world is listening.
"Of course, we understand wearing a pair of socks isn't going to solve the racism problem.
"Nothing will solve it overnight but the purpose of it is to start conversations and get people thinking, talking and hopefully changing their behaviour.
"It also provides an opportunity for people not only in our school but all over the world to make a statement without having to step outside their comfort zone.
"The whole point of the sock movement is to have an ongoing silent protest everyone can partake in - at the end of the day, everyone wears socks."
Like many others, Nazar, 14, has been impressed with the actions taking place in the US.
"For centuries, African Americans have been discriminated against and segregated and people have had enough," the year nine student said.
"Systemic racism has been unchecked for far too long and hopefully this momentum of protesting will keep going and create great change in the world.
"In the same vein, although Australia is a very multicultural country, it doesn't mean it's not racist.
"The US and Australia are very similar when it comes to racism.
"White privilege is real in both countries and discrimination against people of colour is also our sad reality.
"There is also the issue of casual racism, which is one of the things our initiative is trying to address.
"I have a lot of Aboriginal friends and they definitely agree with me - none of us can believe people of colour are still having to deal with such systemic racism in 2020."
One athlete who thinks the same way as the El Tobgy brothers is NBA superstar Patty Mills, a proud Indigenous man who recently launched the Team Mills Foundation - a not-for-profit organisation aimed at supporting minority groups and underprivileged families around the world.
While Mills was back in Australia over the summer, to give back to the South Coast communities destroyed by the bushfires, Ziad was lucky enough to have a chat with the San Antonio Spur about the topic.
"Talking to Patty Mills was truly one of the greatest moments of my life," the year 12 student said.
"He has been a role model for me not only as a basketball player but as a person.
"It was amazing to be able to talk with him and for him to give me advice about the issue of racism and it was even more amazing to learn that he has the same values and opinions about the issue as me.
"Speaking with Patty Mills definitely inspired me to continue to push for equality and to make a change in the world and stop racism where I can.
"Being an Aboriginal man, Patty had some of the same racial challenges that I have had to endure growing up.
"It was a special experience to have someone who I look up to so much relate to me in such a deep way."
The black and white sock initiative is just the starting point of what the brothers hope will be an ongoing campaign to address both overt and casual racism within their school, as they hope to make 'Ulladulla High a microcosm of what the world should be'.