Listening to Canberra Voices is a podcast series focused on the experiences and perspectives of Canberra’s diverse community. Armed with this broad brief, students set out to find and interview residents of Canberra across demographics, starting conversations and exploring the richness that diversity brings to the city.
On the Wall
In this episode of Listening to Canberra Voices, host Joey Bishop interviews Duncan Brown, owner of Mountain Strong Climbing Gym, manager of the ACT sport climbing team and a Northface team athlete. Listen along, and learn about the climbing community within Canberra, its recent expansion and consequential boom in diversity, as well as the unique ethical considerations of climbing outdoors on Ngunnawal Country.
Fearless Women
In this episode of Listening to Canberra Voices, Emily Haynes converses with Glenda Stevens, the CEO of the Canberra based organisation Fearless Women. This episode focuses on the management and internal workings of Fearless Women, as well as discussing the importance of learning to thrive as a woman in Australia’s beautiful capital.
Sacred Connections
In this episode of Listening to Canberra Voices, we talk to Casey O’Neil, a First Nations student here at the University of Canberra. She shares her experiences as a Larrakia woman growing up in Ngunnawal Country as well as her own. Casey describes some of her favourite sacred sites, what makes them sacred and their importance to First Nations peoples. She talks about the impact they have on Indigenous identities and their connection to the sacred sites within both traditional and non-traditional landscapes. Some of these sites, particularly Uluru, are under threat from tourism and gas projects. Casey explains some of these issues and why the protection of sacred sites is an important part of First Nation peoples’ initiatives and ways of life in order to preserve their culture.
Adina’s Story
In this first episode of Listening to Canberra Voices, Kelsang Dolkar and Ethan Perry speak with Adina Brown, a current Sports Media student at the University of Canberra. In the interview we unpack Adina’s childhood in Sydney, the difficult decision she made to move to Canberra for university, and the incredible achievements she has made since her move. We learn about the power and strength Adina finds in her Aboriginality and the importance of culture, community, and family. Even before the leadership opportunities she has undertaken in Canberra, Adina was a fierce advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and a role model for those who find culture to be a powerful tool. Adina hopes her story can inspire other students here at UC, and the broader Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, to become involved in the many opportunities that our Canberra community offers.