Carolyn Lewis has been a dynamic campaigner for the rights of Indigenous Australian’s for many years and has recently been moved to focus on deaths in custody as a primary area for change and reform, as well as working with women in various spaces shifting ideologies in a changing world.
A mother, grandmother, teacher, trainer and student, Carolyn is a member of the First Nations Deaths In Custody Watch Committee who continues to gently but firmly press on with campaigning to address issues in the communities around her. She is willing to lend her strong voice to others that can’t speak out.
Carolyn is a Nanda-Widi Noongar woman who grew up in Perth and has strong cultural ties across the state of Western Australia. Activism is in her blood; since she was a child Carolyn saw her parents take an active stance towards Aboriginal affairs. At 18, she followed her father to Canberra where her attention was widened to issues of a national focus, and she largely remained there on and off for a period of nine years, marching the streets and making her voice heard. Carolyn believes big change can come about through speaking to all people, and that sharing knowledge and stories to bring light to injustices can and will facilitate awareness and conversation.
As a trained educator Carolyn has spent years in lecturing and training roles and employment and career guidance. She is currently studying towards a Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Research and has plans for a PhD.
In 2014, Carolyn experienced a third family member dying in a custodial space and since then has been campaigning for Australia-wide custodial change and reform. The death of young Ms Dhu in custody in South Hedland for unpaid fines affected Carolyn deeply, coinciding with her fiftieth birthday, and she has since worked tirelessly with the First Nations Deaths In Custody Watch Committee to bring some accountability to the factors that played a part. Key areas of focus are legislation and policy in Western Australia, systemic and institutional racism and inequity in the medical communities. She regularly advocates for those in custody with a view of eradicating unnecessary deaths.
Unfortunately Carolyn acknowledges there is a lot of work to be done. The Deaths In Custody Watch Committee is drastically underfunded compared to the time of its inception in 1992, and a lot of the 300+ recommendations it brought about not adhered to, despite there being statistical evidence that the implementation of these recommendations has significantly reduced deaths in custody in New South Wales. Carolyn is not deterred and continues her work in this arena by speaking out publicly on radio and at events, and sourcing representation and legal assistance for aboriginals in custody. “Everyone has to do their little bit to help where they can. Stay true to yourself and what’s right.”
The range of projects and activities that Carolyn is engaged with are all geared towards connecting all women, sharing information, and building on courage’s conversation to create change. When guest lecturing, Carolyn says audiences are regularly flabbergasted by the realities of the stories she relays, and often embarrassed and horrified. People are listening though, and coming together and talking, and she believes big change can come about from this. “We all need to work together for change to happen. All people.” Carolyn is currently involved in two research projects: one in women’s prisons researching educational programs, and one sharing letters with their original intended recipients, which is generating a new wave of awareness and identity within some indigenous communities.
You can find Carolyn buried in reading at the State Library, speaking at a local event, or, on a rare day off, giving the West Coast Eagles some one-eyed support.
Carolyn will be speaking at the upcoming Indigenous Allyship Workshop, August 28, 6pm-8pm.
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Amnesty WA’s biannual Skillshare is about to land at the beautiful green space, Earthwise Community in Subiaco.
(Photo: Volunteers Marsha and Ashley and Victoria Park residents Mark and Amberley attended the volunteer workshop last year.)
One of the organisers, Amnesty International WA Training Team, Brendan, said he was enthusiastic about the Skillshare.
“There’s a community of people who think and feel the same way I do about these issues – so that’s what I’m excited about for the upcoming Skillshare,” he said.
Brendan got involved with Amnesty back in university after realising it was time to do something.
“I knew enough about the state of the world that I wanted to get involved [with Amnesty],” he said.
Along with some other university students, Brendan set forth creating Curtin University’s diligent Amnesty team.
“We knew that a better world was possible and we knew that we wanted to be a part of the change [in the world].”
Attending the Skillshare is not only a great way to learn from one another and hear each other’s story – but it’s a great way to connect with your fellow activists in a meaningful way, and encourage one another in their good work.
As a grassroots organisation Amnesty International is committed to building power from the community level and free workshops like this are invaluable opportunities to help communities build supportive and powerful networks.
On Sunday 29th April from 9am-5pm, you will experience a full day of workshops, values-jamming and relationship building. Sessions are run by activists working for Indigenous, Refugee, Women’s and LGBTQI+ rights, as well as Amnesty leaders from across the country.
Brendan encourages all attendees to build that community, build that relationship and build that skillset.
“Together we can make that change we want to see,” he said.
Lunch is included and after the Skillshare, we are going to the pub. We can’t wait to see you there!
Through the impenetrable darkness of human rights violations, oppressed and marginalised people without voices and every injustice that becomes a catastrophic weight on the shoulders of those suffering indescribable pain, loss and grief – are the activists who work towards enabling the burdened to rise and the voiceless to reclaim their voices. Here are their stories…
Feeling the weight of having to justify her passion for activism and human rights campaigning in the past, Jaime Brownsdon, Curtin University Amnesty WA convenor, emphasises the importance of feeling heard and the power of communication, when it comes to telling stories and highlighting injustices.
(Photo: Jaime Brownsdon and Amnesty Curtin Treasurer Amberly Kilmartin)
“Having a conversation is the best way to spread awareness and educate - and being able to help someone understand why the issue is important and why they should care is really awesome,” she said.
Amnesty was different from other experiences, she explained.
“I met a community of people who are all like-minded. I learnt that a lot of people are passionate about similar things and that together, we can actually make a difference.”
Having cared about human rights from a young age, Jaime continued to follow her heart for social justice and became the Amnesty WA convenor at Curtin University, fighting for rights from the student perspective.
“I live in an area where a lot of the families have gone through some incredible hardships. I've had the opportunity to hear the stories of just some of the students at the local school, and they really inspire me to make a difference so that kids like them get a better and fairer future.”
This experience had humbled her.
“[After meeting activists like] Mark Brisbane and Amberly Kilmartin, one year on, they still amaze me with their commitment and passion - something which has been a great motivator and inspiration for me,” she said.
After seeing a number of exciting changes in the way people view human rights and advocacy, Jaime said that Australia had a lot to be proud of, but admitted that the country still had a long way to go.
“Australia has made some really great progress in the past and has been a leader in civil and political rights. Unfortunately, the country still perpetrates human rights abuses, especially in the treatment of refugees and Indigenous people,” she said.
“It's important that Australia continues to grow its activist community, and continue to petition for changes so that we can be free of any human rights abuses.”
Jaime admits that activism will always be important in maintaining a society that is welcoming and caring of all people.
“I've really loved being able to use my voice to share stories and educate others on important issues that I'm passionate about,” she said.
Activism is working towards giving all people a voice, regardless of gender, skin colour, religion or sexuality and one of Jaime’s key moments for human rights wins was when the Same-Sex Marriage Bill passed.
“Though there is still work to be done for LGBTQI+ rights, same-sex marriage is a huge win and a true testament to the Australian spirit and values that make us Australian,” she said proudly.
“I learned that a lot of people are denied rights that I took for granted growing up all because of differences as simple as the country they were born, the colour of their skin, or the people they choose to love.”
You can find Jaime lobbying for human rights at Curtin University, by contacting her on [email protected], or following Amnesty Curtin University on Facebook.
Going straight from life as a university student in Perth to living in Looma, a small remote town inland from Broome, was quite an adjustment for Kate Ditchburn, who is beginning her third year teaching in the community.
Since traveling to the Pilbara community Punmu in high school, Kate said that she knew that she wanted to live in the Kimberley and work remotely.
“The job is completely different to other jobs, particularly as building relationships has never been more important than in an Aboriginal community,” she explains.
Unlike working in a suburban classroom, planning can be difficult and having an adaptable approach has been Kate’s key to success.
“One day you could have ten kids, the next it could be eighteen and then the next could be five. Also the range of student abilities in a class is huge - some kids struggle to write their names, whereas others are reading novels”.
Despite these challenges, the strong community bond is what Kate loves about Looma life. Although it took some time and many games of after-school basketball to bond with the kids, Kate believes that it was worth the effort.
“I am now feeling like an included member of the family,” she said.
Kate’s passion for sport was something she discovered she had in common with the Looma community.
“The football teams would travel up to six hours every weekend for their games, and half of the community goes along to support,” she explains.
From this passion, Kate and her friend Sarah started a football team for girls in 2016.
“It wasn’t going to be anything big, just a great opportunity to get the girls involved in something for their health,” Kate said.
As soon as word went around town about the team, they had a coach come on board and a full team of girls signed up.
Kate said that the most rewarding aspect of creating the team was seeing the town come alive during sporting matches, and their passion for supporting one another.
“It gave the young girls hope and ambition, and we now have one of our girls who graduated last year playing down in Perth, which is an awesome achievement,” she said.
“I have no doubt that I will be seeing some of our Looma girls running around in the Australian Women’s Football League (AFLW)”.
Reflecting on her time living in a remote Indigenous community, Kate said she has learnt about the importance of community and family, and how western cultural influences have greatly impacted on this.
Kate said the government system for education support in communities has room for improvement.
“The people that do work and make a living for themselves often don’t receive any education support, and then cannot afford to send their kids to school,” she explains.
Kate said she sees herself remaining a part of the Looma community for years to come, and hopes to continue working to better the lives of her students.
“I would love to develop a health initiative that is effective in communities,” Kate said.
“I would like to see improved diets and education about nutrition, exercise and organised sports for kids; stuff that most of us take for granted”.
Welcome to Doing Justice, a blog run by the team at Amnesty International WA!
Here at Doing Justice, we’ll introduce you to the people of Amnesty WA who make it all happen, share with you the stories of human rights defenders in our community making change, and give you all the information you need to join us in protecting human rights across the globe!
We’ve got big things planned for 2018 and we want you to be part of it every step of the way. We hope you’re as excited as us in taking action for human rights and bringing about change.
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