When I met Carol Pettersen OAM at Barmup, or Strawberry Hill Farm, I couldn’t help but notice her spirit of hopefulness. In January, Carol was awarded the prestigious Annette Knight Community Citizen of the Year Award by the City of Albany. The award recognised her outstanding volunteer leadership since 1975 and her enduring work empowering Aboriginal communities through policy, education, justice and employment.
Carol isn’t afraid to speak about the history of Aboriginal people over the past 200 years, but neither is she afraid to speak hopefully about the future. Albany’s bicentenary, she said, is an opportunity to commemorate the strength, resilience and the adapation strategies that Aboriginal people have adopted as they sought to find their place in non-Aboriginal society. It was also a time to celebrate their achievements and to look forward to the future.
I trust you’ll enjoy this video and gain strength from hearing from a woman who has led her own people with resilience and hope.
INSPIRE NEWSCAST 