We’re excited to announce a two day workshop for Australian South Sea Islander youth designed to celebrate our distinct cultural identity and build stronger relationships within the community will be coming to Western Sydney and Tweed Heads later this year.
B L A C K – Bold Leadership Awareness Culture Knowledge has been funded by Youth Opportunities – NSW Multicultural. This will be a first for the ASSI community on the Tweed and Western Sydney where a state funded workshop of this enormity has been supported through self determination.
Talented artist Wayne Strong or “Strongi” (nee Togo) is a proud Bundjalung-ASSI man comes from an extremely talented and artistic family who are renowned for taking to a sketch pad in creating the most surreal images through free style drawing.
Wayne says “I kept the design simplistic and it emanates identity for our people layered with text and kanaks. The colours are deliberate in our struggles and imagery is remembering our bold blackistory.”
NSW State body Australian South Sea Islanders (Port Jackson) will be the facilitators of the workshop. Dates are yet to be advised, however the event is planned for 22nd & 23rd October in WESTERN SYDNEY, followed by TWEED HEADS in November 2016 (dates tbc). Keep an eye out for more information soon.
Recognising youth collaborators to date: Zachary Wone, Shola Diop, Desiree Leha, Tom Clarke, Louise Togo, Emily Corowa, Ming Darcy, Dianna Robbinson who will be drawing on the young leaders of the region to discuss, demonstrate and share in the essence of leadership.
Mentors from across the state are banding together to make this workshop a great success including: Hannah Hamilton, Kelly Gonda, Varr Smallwood, Telisha Togo, Alana Togo, Brendan Roberts, Marija.Vranic.
The work is supported by an array of young skilled and talented people on the B L A C K network such as Jahnesta Noter, Maddy Togo, Josh Apanui, Pearl Corowa, Nathan Hart, Tayla Hortle, Dylan Doherty, PJ Smallwood, Wayne Solomon, Graham Smallwood.
We welcome and appreciate your input at any time.