Tuesday, 3 October 2023

Wellsprings for Women

Lee TARLAMIS (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (13:32): Recently I had the privilege to attend the launch of another successful project by Wellsprings for Women at Dandenong’s Drum Theatre. Know My Story: Migrant Women Shaping the Cultural Landscape of Greater Dandenong is a collection of stories and a short film that recounts the remarkable lives of 10 refugee and migrant women who have overcome adversity while giving selflessly of their time and expertise to help others. These remarkable women hail from all parts of the world, and their stories are brought to light in this publication and film, sharing the common thread of their extraordinary courage and hope. This project provided a platform for a small collection of these commonly untold stories of refugee and migrant women, where we learn about what prompted their departure from their homelands, what they have in common, how they ultimately settled in Australia and the positive impact their contributions have had on their adopted country of Australia. These stories often involve enormous challenges, and by amplifying these voices we inspire others to also speak up about their journeys so we can acknowledge and celebrate them as well.

Know My Story also serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of inclusivity and diversity in storytelling in our communities, and we are all the richer for these inspirational women having generously shared their stories with us. Wellsprings for Women has long been at the forefront of championing the rights and voices of women, particularly those from refugee and migrant backgrounds, and this is yet another project that is testament to their unwavering commitment. I want to thank Wellsprings for Women for making this project possible, the amazing women who shared their stories and Lella Cariddi OAM, the curator of the project, who spoke passionately at the launch about the importance of this project before introducing some of the women featured in it.