In the first episode of Elevating Yarns by First Peoples Disability Network (FPDN), host Bernard Namok sits down with Aunty Kay Sadler, a proud Worimi woman of the Biripi nation and a passionate advocate for First Nations people with disability. Aunty Kay, who also serves on FPDN’s Board, shares her powerful lived experience navigating life as a First Nations woman with disability. 

This heartfelt yarn explores Aunty Kay Sadler’s personal journey as a proud Worimi woman of the Biripi nation living with disability. She shares the cultural strengths that ground her, the challenges she’s overcome, and her unwavering dedication to creating a more inclusive and just future for mob with disability. Aunty Kay’s story is one of resilience, leadership, and deep community care.

Tune in to this inspiring conversation that sets the tone for Elevating Yarns, a new podcast series sharing the powerful voices and stories of First Peoples with disability.

Strong Voices on Yarning Disability. A range of voices and stories from our mob advocating for the human rights of their children with disabilities every day. Systems that create barriers for our mob with disabilities. Shine a light on our FPDN Staff and the importance of inclusion and belonging.

Training and Engagement Officer for Northern Territory, Jordan Wishart is a Bidjara man from central Queensland, but spent most of his life on Arrernte Country in Alice Springs. Jordan struggles with severe Dyslexia and ADHD – but to him, he doesn’t see that as a disability. 

This episode of Yarning Disability, FPDN's Bernard Namok and Jordan Wishart were on location to do community engagement in the remote town of Maningrida, 500ks from Darwin in Arnhem Land at the mouth of the Liverpool River. 

Stunning landscapes, remote communities and a strong and rich culture, Alice Springs, or known locally as Mparntwe is a remote town in the Northern Territory halfway between Darwin and Adelaide, both is 1500KM away. 

In this episode of Yarning Disability, FPDN Advocate Jordan Wishart had a yarn with Joel Walker, who is paraplegic, about his disability and the long journey of emotions and healing to get to where he is today 

In this episode of Yarning Disability, you will hear from Jaunita Haynes, a Yamatji woman living in Albany, Western Australia. In 2013, Jaunita was studying to be a nurse when, sadly, the GP administered her with the wrong vaccine dose, which had caused a disability. She yarned with FPDN Rozy Bynder about the reaction it caused, how it changed her life, and her journey to recovery.

Traditional Torres Strait woman, Aunty Abigail Harry hails from Yam Island in the Torres Strait. 

For over 40years Aunty Abigail Harry have lived and worked on Noongar, Boodja, Yamatji, Wongi country and now she is back living on Thursday Island and is actively involved in her community of Tamwoy Town when it comes to highlighting community issues.

Isolation, Remoteness and Accessibilities are some of the issues Aunty Abigail yarned with FPDN Advocate Bernard Namok and she strongly believed that there is a greater need for family living across the Torres Strait Islands

On Saturday 14th of October, Australians will be ask to vote on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. In this episode of Yarning Disability is the Minister for Indigenous Australians and Proud Wiradjuri Women, Linda Burney and Damien Griffis, CEO of FPDN and Proud Worimi Man. The vote will determine whether the Voice, a body providing advice to Government on issues particularly impacting impacting Indigenous people, will be enshrined in the Constitution. 

If you’d like easily accessible and easy to read information on the voice to inform your vote on the referendum, Go to www.haveyoursay.net 

Aboriginal man Brenton Bowen hails from the small Aboriginal community of Hopevale in Far North QLD and fulfilled his dream of becoming a professional sportsman, playing in the NRL for the North QLD Cowboys and the Gold Coast Titans. Brenton is now an ambassador for ‘Deadly Choices’, where he promotes healthy lifestyles for mob and and also an artist.  

FPDN Advocate Carly Wallace spoke to Brenton on Yarning Disability about his football career, his artwork and the day his life changed with news about his health with a brain tumour. 

This episode of Yarning Disability features Nancy Bates, a barkindji woman from far western New South Wales, a senior advocate for FPDN, and an accomplished singer-songwriter. Nancy balances her advocacy work with the guitar and songwriting, and is involved with a project called Songs Inside, where she works with women inside Adelaide Women's Prison. Songs Inside is a transformative story of a group of women prisoners in a groundbreaking music program that aims to keep vulnerable women from returning back to the prison system.

To connect with Nancy, visit her website at www.nancybates.com

This week's episode of Yarning Disability features Sandy Dann, a Nyul Nyul woman from Broome in the Kimberleys. Sandy was diagnosed with congenital glaucoma at a young age. Sandy has been broadcasting for over 30 years and hosts a 2 hour radio show on Goolarri Media. The second hour of her program is networked live to the whole of Australia on the National Indigenous Radio Service. FPDN Community Engagement Roz Bynder, also spoke with the Chief Operations Officer of Goolarri Media, Kira Fong and Broadcast Manager Kim West about inclusiveness in the workplace.