Last year, scholarship recipient Bronte Charles shared her scholarship story with us. This year, not only was she the first in her family to graduate, she also addressed graduands at the May Grad Ceremony. There was not a dry eye in the house. Here, she shares her inspiring speech.
Education means everything to me
Good afternoon everyone. I’m Bronte and I’m a proud Bundjalung and Mununjali woman from a small town in Southern Queensland called Beaudesert.
I’d like to acknowledge the Wattumattagal clan of the Dharug nation for their continued care of country, they carry the lands dreaming on their shoulders. I’d like to acknowledge our old people, today's custodians, community elders and the teachers who are sharing their intergenerational wisdom and education.
I didn’t tell my family I’d be the graduate speaker today.
In fact, I told my Dad that I didn’t want to come to this graduation ceremony at all.
It costs $250 to graduate… in this economy.
My Dad was insistent that I showed up today. He even paid the $250 graduation fee so I knew that he and I being here must be really important to him.
And the more that I think about it, the more that I realise that being here today is important to me, too.
Education means different things to different people.
And I want to tell you all what it means to me… a young Aboriginal girl who grew up in Redfern housing commission.
Education means everything to me. It means having a type of freedom that is so powerful that you are able to not only change your own life but your family's life as well.
I wanted to get a university degree for my great aunt who couldn’t, because she was put into cootamundra girl's home, as part of the stolen generation, to be trained for domestic service.
Because statistically, being Aboriginal meant I was more likely to go to prison than to graduate high school.
I wanted to go to uni because my Grandma was kicked out of school at 13 because she was Aboriginal and had to teach herself how to read and write.
And for my Dad, who always taught me to use culture as my superpower.
And I did it. I’m standing here today as the first in my family to not only go to university but to graduate.
To the other students graduating today who come from diverse or disadvantaged backgrounds or minority groups, I see you. I know our journeys haven’t been the easiest.
Uni didn’t really seem like an option for someone who grew up the way I did. I remember in primary school, after seeing that my mum was Aboriginal when she came and picked me up from school one day, a teacher singled me out in front of the whole class and asked if my Mum could pay $15 for a school excursion.
I remember second hand uniforms and going to school in thongs. I remember wearing my grandmother's running shoes on school athletic days. I still got age champion in year 10.
I remember not learning about my people in the classroom and I remember feeling ashamed of my culture and who I was.
I was so ashamed that in school, I would refuse to do an acknowledgement of country.
A lot has changed since then. I’ve become a bit of a pain in the ass.
I would email my tutors and lecturers if they didn’t do an acknowledgment of Country at the start of the uni semester and ask them why. And if they did do an acknowledgment, I would email to tell them how much it meant to me.
I would challenge the classes I was in to consider Indigenous perspectives.
I’d wear red, black and yellow to class and I’d try to relate all my assignments to my culture.
And since graduating, I’ve been able to follow my dreams of amplifying First Nations stories by taking up a journalist role at NITV and SBS news.
This cohort has gone through a lot: a global pandemic, online classes, business statistics and Scott’s marketing strategy class.
And, we all carry with us our own stories, our own journeys, obstacles and our reasons why.
I encourage you all to reflect on your reason why today.
My why is my grandmother. She was a strong Aboriginal woman who I would call “Blak nana”.
She died when I was young… she was only 47 when she passed.
I was her favourite grandchild.
I wish she could’ve been here today. Going to university is what she wanted for Mum and I hope she knows that I got to do what they both couldn’t.
I also wish Nan was there when it was hard, when I’d get my culture questioned and I didn’t feel good enough.
I hope she can see me wearing red, black and yellow and wearing those colours with pride. I hope she knows that the thing I love most about myself now is being Aboriginal.
Thank you and congratulations to the class of 2022. We really have achieved a lot. Go celebrate, have a few bevvys at Ubar. It really is our special day.