TED talk: Black women – Tipping the balance | Michelle Deshong | TEDxJCUCairns

Introduction

Black women have shaped history globally and courageous Indigenous women have helped shape Australia. Many Indigenous women possess the qualities that have made a huge impact on civil and Indigenous rights in Australia, these same qualities give Indigenous women a unique perspective that enables them to tip the balance and provide genuine political leadership. Michelle Deshong was named the 2015 National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Scholar of the year. Michelle is from Townsville and draws her connection to Kuku Yulanji and Butchulla nations. She has extensive experience in areas of leadership, governance and politics and completed a BA with First Class Honours in Political Science and Indigenous studies at James Cook University. She is completing her PhD in ‘enabling the participation of Aboriginal Women in public and political life in Australia.’ In 2013 Michelle was named in the Australian Financial Review/Westpac 100 Women of Influence Awards. She was recently awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to work with the First Nations women in America.

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