Dr Jackie Huggins at the 40th Anniversary Waminda National Conference

Waminda South Coast Women’s Health and Wellbeing Aboriginal Corporation is proudly inviting you to celebrate 40 years of Aboriginal Women in Leadership hosting the “Strong Women, Strong Community, Leading the Way” conference in Nowra, NSW.

Waminda grew from a vision and need Community Women saw, to create safe spaces for Aboriginal Women’s health and wellbeing on the South Coast. Since its first inception as Jilimi in 1984 and through its transition into Waminda one thing has held true- the privileging of Aboriginal women’s voices and the leadership of strong, staunch and nurturing Community women.

This has led to the incredible milestone of Waminda’s operation in community for 40 years. During the conference the Waminda Executive Leadership team, Keynote Speakers, Waminda Program Managers and Coordinators, along with community leaders in the Aboriginal women’s health and wellbeing space will take you on a journey of looking back to celebrate how far Waminda has come; whilst giving insight into the now and inspiring what is emerging in Aboriginal women’s leadership, health, and wellbeing. 

We look forward to welcoming you into these spaces and yarns throughout the “Strong Women, Strong Community, Leading the Way” Conference

About Dr Jackie Huggins AM FAHA

Dr Jackie Huggins AM FAHA has spent over four decades working across community, government and non-government arenas, in the field and on many boards.

She has been the Co-Chair, Treaty Advancement Committee Queensland. She was formerly the Co-Chair, National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples.

She previously worked at the University of Queensland as Deputy Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit. Her other roles have included Co-Chair, Reconciliation Australia, and she has served on the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, Commission for the Inquiry Into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Children From Their Families, Australian Heritage Commission, State Library of Queensland, Telstra Foundation, Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, and the Cape York Girls Academy.

She is Patron of Reconciliation Queensland, Sisters Inside, National Patron Justice Reform Initiative and a past member of First Nations Strategic Advisory Group, Disability Royal Commission, First Nations Advisory Committee Australian War Memorial.

She is currently Co-Chair National Apology Foundation, Elder in Residence – First Nations Messaging Project Australian Progress, POU Atlantic Fellows University of Melbourne, and an Honorary Professor at the Research Centre for Deep History, ANU. She is a Director for the National Centre for Reconciliation, Truth and Justice Federation University Australia.

Jackie is an author and historian and is currently working in this area. Dr Huggins is the Patron of the First Nations Aboriginal Writer’s Network. Her books include Auntie Rita, Sistergirl and Jack of Hearts: QX11594.

Dr Huggins has also written numerous chapters and articles in history and women’s studies journals and books and is in high demand as a speaker.

Get your tickets here.

See the full program here.