The Community, Respect and Equality (CRE) initiative continues to demonstrate what becomes possible when organisations come together with a shared purpose. Earlier this year, one of our CRE signatories, the Aboriginal Family Legal Service (AFLS), approached another signatory, Health Communication Resources (HCR), with a bold idea.
They wanted to work together to record a group of Aboriginal Matriarchs sharing their reflections on the role we all play in preventing family violence. Their vision was ambitious: broadcast the stories on local radio, turn them into artworks and launch them at a community event to spark important conversations. And they hoped to achieve all of this in just three weeks.
The answer was simple: absolutely.
CRE partners moved quickly to bring the project to life. A key staff member from AFLS conducted the interviews, supported by HCR training in recording skills and question development. Other organisations worked alongside them to help gather participants, coordinate logistics and guide the evolving project. Within days, a powerful collection of interviews emerged, rich with cultural wisdom and personal insight from respected local women.
HCR edited and programmed the stories for broadcast on Radio MAMA, another CRE signatory, ensuring the voices of these Matriarchs reached households across the Mid West and Gascoyne. The Museum of Geraldton, also a CRE signatory, then joined the partnership to host a community dinner honouring the women who had shared their stories. It was a moment of collective pride and a clear reminder that change begins when communities stand together.
And the impact only continued to grow.
Seeing the momentum, the Museum transformed the interviews and artworks into an interactive exhibition for the state-wide 16 Days in WA campaign. Through QR codes, visual displays and hands-on activities, the stories came alive in a new space, reaching new audiences and deepening community reflection. The women were proud to see their voices woven into a broader conversation about respect and equality.
This is the power of story.
It travels.
It grows.
It moves through mediums, through people and through place.
What began as a simple idea became a multi-layered community effort, driven by the strength of CRE organisations working together. Stories were shared on air, online and in person. The ripple effect extended far beyond what any of us first imagined.
Personal, local stories have the power to shift attitudes and strengthen communities. The CRE initiative creates the conditions where these stories can be heard, valued and amplified. When organisations unite under a shared vision, conversations deepen, understanding grows and real change becomes possible. This is why CRE exists: because when communities come together, change happens.
This project embodies the theme of this year’s 16 Days in WA campaign: part your play in preventing family violence. CRE helps local workplaces and organisations come together to play their part not just during the 16 Days but everyday.
If you are in Geraldton, we encourage you to visit the exhibition during the 16 Days in WA campaign:
https://visit.museum.wa.gov.au/geraldton/16-days-wa-jambinu-strong-matriarchs
And if your organisation would like to join CRE and contribute to a safer, more respectful community, please get in touch with the CRE Coordinator at Desert Blue Connect on (08) 9964 2742.
