“Firstly I would like to acknowledge the Widjabul Wia-bal people of the Bundjalung nation where this yarn is taking place. I would also like to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land and pay my deepest respects to elders past and present and extend that respect to any Aboriginal or Torres Strait islanders reading this story.
I’m a proud Bundjalung young woman with deep connections to the stunning Northern Rivers. I was born in Tweed Heads in 2004 so I turned 21 in September this year. I was raised in Kingscliff and went to Pottsville Beach Public School. I did my high schooling in Kingscliff High, an amazing school and I loved it. I have a great bunch of friends, two girlfriends from school who I’m still really close to. I had a beautiful childhood. Mum worked really hard to provide me with everything I needed and she gave me opportunities which I still have to this day. I was a coastal kid and I loved it. Growing up in that area was such a vibe. Everyone was so friendly just like here.
I have an older sister Talah and three younger siblings, Ashlea, Lynden and Soraya. They all reside close by. My mum is Michele Laurie, she’s done a lot of work in the community in a lot of different roles but now she has her own business, facilitating trauma informed counselling sessions and she has just completed her Masters. Mum truly inspires me everyday to work hard and never give up. She’s kind of my cheerleader.
When I graduated high school, I had my first big job in education as an Aboriginal Student Learning Support Officer at Richmond River High in Lismore. I was working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students one on one from year 7 to 12 in the ALEC (Aboriginal Learning and Engagement Centre) I got so much out of this job and I learnt a lot from the students. Such an amazing, smart and capable bunch of young adults whom I’m proud to say I had the privilege to mentor and work with. I love seeing them around town and catching up for a yarn.
As much as I enjoyed working in education my passion lies within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth justice so I followed my heart and did my Cert 3 in Legal and Client Support while I was working at Legal Aid NSW in Lismore. This job really kickstarted my career as it aligned with my passions and beliefs and those were breaking barriers and getting justice for my people and having their voices heard and if I can be a part of that, I’ve done my job.
I can’t say enough about the team at Legal Aid. The Solicitors work incredibly hard and the team of legal and client support officers are amazing. I’ve seen first hand their outstanding work and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of that wonderful team. I received incredible support from the Legal Aid team through my studies and that will not be forgotten. I have made life long personal connections and I also met my greatest supporter and mentor. I worked there for 18 months in 2023 /24.
In my free time I love spending time with my family and friends. I’m a social girl and I love nature so I’m usually at the beach. My fave spot is my local Kingscliff beach. I also surf and I love going on long bush walks and connecting with nature. I really appreciate nature and our animals within it. If we look after the land it will look after us.
I want to touch on how resilient the community in Lismore is, how everyone comes together to support each other in times of need. It’s so amazing to be a part of and see how hard these services work to provide support when life get tricky to navigate. I’m also grateful for all the local businesses in Lismore who benefit this community. I also want to acknowledge the resilience that has been shown by all, especially those first hand to the CBD streets that experience unacceptable behaviour.
I want to go to uni here at SCU next year and do either teaching or a law degree, something with young people where I can make a difference and a change in their lives. I was brought up to help people and support them to be kind and to be open. I think I’m leaning more towards a law degree though so I can get justice for the mob. SCU is a great university. The nature there is incredible, water dragons, koalas, turtles, the bird life, goannas, it’s amazing.
I guess nothing major has happened in my life because I’m only 21 and my life so far has been all about my career. I don’t see that as a bad thing because it drives me and motivates me to do better. I know I have a very successful future ahead of me and I can’t wait to make my family and my community proud.
Out in community I don’t just show up, I know my people and I understand the land. I have gratefully earned the trust and respect of the communities around here. I like to be out there building real relationships and getting results and I care deeply so I want to make sure this community doesn’t just feel supported but they feel seen, heard and empowered. As an Aboriginal social and emotional wellbeing worker with deep ties to country I understand the challenges faced by my people. I walk alongside our communities with empathy, respect and integrity, whether it’s connecting families to vital services or just to offer a safe space to talk. The Northern Rivers is my home and I’m always going to cherish it and look after it.”