My section was called ‘The Brilliance of adversity and the integration of the human spirit – empowering others through the navigation of connection’. My work for many years has been based on connection and provoking thought, without it, there can be no change.

Covering many things regarding personal and professional development, it also looks at the obstacles that we often remain silent about including our inability to fully self-reflect, speak up in situations where racism is at play or how we mismanage our own discomfort and allow non inclusiveness to continue because we just don’t know what to say.

As a multi-author project, we were able to connect with many others who were very like-minded. Like anything, the process of creation and becoming more visible brings its own unique feels, challenges and joys. Every part of your life demands another version of you, when you become more visible publicly, you are bound to hit elements of your unconscious that you didn’t know were there, like turning up the light in a room that’s been dark for years, you will find things that were never in your awareness; the secret is to be able to look at it, accept that it’s there and apply the tools to clean it up.

I thoroughly enjoyed participating in this, it was a wonderful learning curve and accomplishment.

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land, The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; our First Nations people and we pay respect to our wisdom holders, all Elders, past present and emerging.

We honour the Stolen Generations, we acknowledge the impact that colonisation has had and the ripple effect through the First Nations people of this land, their communities & their traditions. We acknowledge the courage and strength it has taken to continually strive forward for cultural safety; reclaiming their sovereignty, their voice and their safety to practice their culture and speak their language in connection with their Ancestors and original traditions.

We acknowledge and extend our respect to Elder’s past, present and emerging of all traditions that share this beautiful land.

We acknowledge the courage and heart that it will take as we walk forward together to participate in the challenging conversations required for change, to face, accept and acknowledge all parts of our shared history. To tell the truth and hear the truth, and the courage it will take to validate the experiences of our First Nations people as we hold each other, to heal with great respect as we co-create a culturally safe, inclusive and wonderous place to live.