On Sunday 28 May a group of 20 IGS community members attended the Sydney Writers Festival Reckoning, not Reconciliation panel discussion with Stan Grant and Teela Reid.
The group’s participation was hosted by the PTF as part of their ongoing commitment to building Australian First Nations cultural competency and capabilities to IGS parents, carers and staff.
Together with PTF President Hayley Dean and First Nations Coordinator Lucy Mendelssohn the group heard powerful statements from the speakers. One quote that resonated strongly with all IGS parents in attendance, was the statement by Stan Grant’s father, Stan Grant Snr that “language is not about who you are, it’s about where you are”.
In the foyer following the panel, the group came together and made the collective promise to help move forward in this era of reckoning and during the Reconciliation activities happening around the country this week.
One parent said: “Thanks again for providing this opportunity. I personally took the ‘move beyond tokenisation’ as a serious call to action. I see it as my quest to capture that idea with my business unit tomorrow, to talk about our future and resources of the lands. Listen more – don’t think you have the answers, actually listen was my take away from today”.
The PTF plan to provide more activities like this in the future.
“It is the PTF’s aim to centre Australian First Nations ways of knowing, being and doing in the world.
“We all know our IGS children are going to change the world, it will be amazing to be right there, leading by example first,” said PTF President Hayley Dean.