more just society for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Australia," Dr Riley says.
Ngarra Murray is a Wamba Wamba (Gourmjanyuk) Yorta Yorta (Wallithica) woman from North-West Victoria based in Melbourne. She has strong family links to her traditional country at Muymer Lake Boga and Cummeragunja along the Murray River.
She has passionately worked within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community for the past two decades including employment at the University of Melbourne, Bunjilaka at Museum Victoria, Victoria University of Technology, North Yarra Community Health and Australia Post.
Ms Murray is currently working as the National Programs Lead of Oxfam Australia‘s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Program.
"NAIDOC holds such special significance to me. It continues the vision of our forefathers and unifies our people, acknowledges our history and celebrates our survival,"
"NAIDOC is a key part of our identity and history and an intergenerational responsibility and it’s imperative that we pass the importance of NAIDOC to our younger generation to keep them connected to their people and communities, traditions and practices." she concluded.
Shanna Dodson is a Yawuru (Broome area) woman living in Sydney. Ms Dodson has worked in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs for over 12 years as a communications and digital specialist.
She previously held Communications roles at Reconciliation Australia, AIATSIS, and is currently a board member of ANTaR, and Community Ambassador for R U OK?
"I see exciting potential to use digital media to expand the reach of the NAIDOC week messages and theme to a broader audience, specifically young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous Australians."
"I want to advocate Twitter to have the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flag emojis available for specific hashtags during NAIDOC Week as well as a specific emoji for the NAIDOC Awards Ceremony hashtag," she added.
Gold Coast leader Anita-Lee Summers was re-appointed to the Committee to serve a second term.
Ms Summers, whose traditional connections are to the Yugarabul Peoples of South-East Queensland and Bidjara Peoples of Western Queensland has worked in the Indigenous affairs arena for over 35 years at a grassroots and Commonwealth level.
"For me, NAIDOC can drive real understanding of the struggles but also the resilience and survival of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples." Ms Summers concluded.
The National NAIDOC Committee makes key decisions on National NAIDOC activities each year including the focus city, theme, National NAIDOC Poster Competition winner and National NAIDOC award recipients, as well as supporting the promotion and success of NAIDOC Week nationally.
NAIDOC Week will be held across the nation from 8-15 July 2018 with Sydney being the host city for National celebrations.
Source: www.naidoc.org.au
Image: Kenny Bedford, Lynette Riley, Ngarra Murray, Anita-Lee Summers and Shannan Dodson