Voice against Racism:
Youth Human Rights Awards

“Wiradyuri is everything to me. It’s my religion, it’s my culture, it’s my mob, it’s my language, it’s my Country. It’s everything. Know that you come from a proud people. Our mob fought and died for our Country, our lands. We defended our Country, we defended our homes, we defended our families. Our mob need to know this sort of stuff. We didn’t just lie down and say here come and take it off me, everything that I value take it all from me.

The jails are full of our mob, too many of them are suffering from some form of mental illness, and they don’t know why they are so angry or why they are even rebelling. We lost too much. We are all confused at some stage, they wanted us to be confused. This is what we are talking about, getting rid of a little bit of that confusion. This is your time, this is our time, so don’t waste it!”

Essie Coffey OAM was a Murawarri activist, advocate and filmmaker concerned about the influence of white culture and education on Indigenous children. As seen in her groundbreaking documentary, My Survival as an Aboriginal (1978), she taught culture – and the importance of cultural knowledge – to her community. Importantly, her documentary also exposed how First Peoples were marginalised in all aspects of their lives, from school to wider society.

The treatment of First Peoples laid bare in her documentary reached wider audiences through screenings at prestigious Australian and international film festivals, where the film won numerous awards. For her dedicated services to the Indigenous Australian community, Coffey herself was awarded an Order of Australia.

In the early 1990s Aunty Faye was appointed St Joseph’s Aboriginal Liaison Officer, a position she sees as the most important role in her working life.

“In this role, I have comforted and supported both our Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students,” Aunty Fay said. “I have welcomed and supported school principals and staff members in maintaining a real connection with the local community, in particular through encouraging Aboriginal parents to be part of the conversation in localising the curriculum.”

“The day our language was officially introduced into the education system was the happiest day because for so long people did not want to know about our language and culture,” Aunty Fay said. “Now, all children, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal at St Joseph’s learn, speak and sing in our language.”

Aunty Faye says the recognition of language and culture has enormous benefits for young Aboriginal people, particularly building self-esteem.

Aunty Faye Green OAM has been admitted to a Doctor of the University at the Australian Catholic University.

I worked in Indigenous education since the early 1970’s as an Aboriginal Education Assistant, primary, Infants and tertiary teacher. Upon retirement, I amassed over 40 years of teaching and research experience in the field of Aboriginal Education, where I made outstanding contributions to Aboriginal Education through developing and implementing Aboriginal studies programs that enhanced all students learning about Indigenous cultures. In the International Year of the Worlds Indigenous Peoples, I was awarded the NSW Director General of Education Award for my commitment and considerable contribution to public education.
I was the first Aboriginal Education Assistant (AEA) appointed to a high school in NSW at Walgett High School. Because the AEA program was in its infancy, I spent a lot of time working with the NSW Education system to improve working conditions for AEA’s.
I attended Mitchell College of Advanced Education where I graduated with my Diploma of Teaching and was appointed to Eglinton public school where I became the first qualified Aboriginal infant’s teacher west of the Blue Mountains. Sometime later I completed my Bachelor of Education degree, and my Master’s Degree in Aboriginal Education. I was awarded my Doctor of Education by Charles Sturt University
I started my postgraduate career as the Koori Teaching Fellow in the School of Teacher Education, Bathurst campus, Charles Sturt University, a position I held for over 25 years. Over the 25 years I served as lecturer making a substantial contribution to Indigenous education and culture through my innovative curriculum development designed to challenge and motivate students. The establishment and maintenance of links between CSU and the Indigenous community across CSU footprint. The teaching of Indigenous issues from a unique and informed perspective that engaged students as they gained a deeper understanding of Indigenous Australia.
In the broader community along with my wife Patricia Crawford, we are recognized as Aboriginal leaders in the local community. We are responsible for getting Towri Multifunctional Aboriginal Children’s Services (MACS) Child Centre established and functional, in Bathurst.
My contribution to the local community of Bathurst was recognised during Bathurst’s bicentenary, where I was named one of Bathurst’s 200 living legends.
I am a man with a deep love for my family, extended family, country, its people and elders, and its countryside.
Laurie Crawford, Diploma of Teaching (Mitchell College of Advanced Education); Bachelor of Education, (Charles Sturt University); Master Aboriginal Education Studies (University of South Australia) and Doctor of the Education (honoris causa) (Charles Sturt University).