4th ANNUAL EMC KOORIE CHRISTMAS

I’d like to take a second to acknowledge the hard work of our Koorie (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) students to pull together our 4th annual EMC Koorie Christmas. They planned it, invited back the people and groups had visited and supported them throughout this year, designed and wrote thank you cards, and set up the space this morning then cleaned up afterwards without being asked.

Jenaya Bartlett, Alex Humphrey and Noah Thomas edited, and delivered a powerful speech on behalf of the Koorie students. They spoke with courage, conviction and pride to a crowd of over 100 people made up of EMC Koorie students, their friends, the Deadly Little Langys from LPS, DET Koorie Engagement Support Officers and Koorie Engagement Coordinator, representatives of Nairm Marr Djambana and the Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group, the Korin Gamadji Institute team from Richmond Football Club, representatives of the Commission for Children and Young People, representatives from Victoria Police, a representative of Frankston Youth Services, and representatives of the Victorian Electoral Commission.

Below is a little excerpt from the speech:

(Noah)

To our fellow mob, as well as allies and advocates in the community. Thank you for standing with us. Thank you for the work that happens behind the scenes, every single day, not just saved for the big events when people are looking.

(Jenaya)

At EMC, we want all the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids and our families to feel seen, and heard; and to feel like we can celebrate our culture and history. Being safe to do this at school is something that is important to us. We know there’s a lot of work to come in this space very soon, including a project where we work together with other cultures and backgrounds, and bring together the community to target and eliminate racism.

(Alex)

But while we can’t ignore when there’s things we need to do better, we can also celebrate when we get it right and when our community experiences success. When we celebrate together, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, we are working to build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories, cultures, and futures.

(Noah)

EMC is lucky to have mobs represented from all over Australia, from my own mobs Taungurung and Gunnai, as well as Murri Warri Ngemba to Yorta Yorta and Wemba Wemba, Wiradjuri and Butchulla, Yuin, and Kurnai, and Palawa. I would also like to acknowledge that it doesn’t matter if you don’t know who your people are and where your Country is yet. You can grow that connection to your culture, and there’s people who can support you to do that. And you’re part of the EMC mob, and you’ll always have a place with us.

(Jenaya)

Thank you all for supporting Koorie students and the wider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community connected to EMC. Thank you for the part you have, and will, play in self determination, in voice, treaty and truth telling in Victoria and Australia. Thank you for acknowledging and celebrating the oldest living continuous culture in the world.

The speech also highlighted some of the incredible achievements of our Koorie students, as well as their amazing work alongside allies and the Koorie Education and Engagement team (Mel Paxton, Skye Brennan, Paul Wignall, Jess Wade, Craig Frost, Terry Kiat and myself) in 2022. We hope to share more details of future planning when our 3rd Reconciliation Action Plan is published by Reconciliation Australia shortly.

Thanks to everyone who came to Koorie Christmas, who supported the event, and who support our Koorie students and their families every single day. Days like like last week really showcase the outcome of investing in this work and these students, and the culturally safe space we are building. I am honoured to be allowed to walk alongside EMC's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in this journey.

- Steph

Student Leadership