This is the first ever episode of Always Was Always Will Be Our Stories, in today’s chat Marlee Silva sits down with Butchella and Gawara man Isaiah Dawe.

Like thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids in Australia today, Isaiah grew up in foster care. During that time, he was forced to face unimaginable abuse from carers, to navigate a world without someone to call ‘mum’ or ‘dad’ and in the midst of it all, try and figure out his cultural identity and what I meant to be Aboriginal.

Hearing what Isaiah was forced to face, and what far too many kids are continuing to face in a system that fails them time and time again, will infuriate you.

But this story of survival and Isaiah’s ability to rise, overcome - and most astonishingly, build his own non-profit organisation called ‘ID Know Yourself’ where he’s now supporting kids who are just like him, in the care system - to be the family he never had - will leave you feeling inspired, hopeful and hungry to help him make change.

Support Isaiah's work by following his organisation on social media @idknowyourself or read more at https://www.idknowyourself.com/

If you're enjoying the show, please subscribe and share with your friends and family! Read more about the show and find out who next week's episode will feature by visiting our Instagram: @alwaysourstories

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Always Was, Always Will Be Our Stories is Written, Hosted, Produced and Edited by Marlee Silva, on the unceded lands of the Dharrawal people. We pay our deepest respects to those people and their Elders past and present, whose connection to this place has remained unbroken for over 60 thousand years.

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Theme Music: 'Run' by Tristan Barton

Podcast Artwork: @wuruhi.auaha

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