Sister Brigid Arthur is a tenacious fighter for the rights of some of our community’s most vulnerable members. Brigid is part of the Brigidine order of nuns, who have been engaged in education and social justice in Victoria since 1886. Brigid taught for many years in the western suburbs of Melbourne, where she lived among new migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, learning about the difficulties that many faced. In 2001, she was a founding member of the Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project, providing practical support to asylum seekers, including emergency funds, food and housing. Brigid is a litigation guardian for young Indigenous people and young people seeking climate action. Her support for many asylum seekers who need a representative in Federal Court matters has helped them obtain critical, urgent care in Australia. With patience, courage and compassion, Brigid continues to care for asylum seekers embodying the motto of the Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project: ‘Strength and kindness’. - - - #dirrumfestivalCBR 2023 Sonder | 12 August 2023 The realisation that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own. For more information about #dirrumfestivalCBR 2023, visit https://www.dirrumfestival.org/cbr23 - - - #dirrumfestival is an artefact of Dirrum Dirrum, a movement encouraging young people’s engagement in service to the common good. Dirrum Dirrum is a way of seeing others and ourselves bound in respectful relationship, standing in a wide circle of compassionate engagement. It acknowledges a common ground and is an active choice for life beyond the smallness of self-interest. Dirrum Dirrum is the sound of red in Ngunnawal language: the colour of blood and earth. For more information about Dirrum Dirrum, visit https://dirrumdirrum.org/about - - -

Nathan was on the way to his dream job as a fighter pilot when a military bus accident in November 2015 left him severely injured and his left hand amputated. Despite his injuries, Nathan returned to civilian flying in three months, resuming military and university duties within seven months. He was the first upper-limb amputee in the Australian Defence Force Academy’s history to graduate and he was promoted to Pilot Officer in the RAAF. After completing his degree in 2017, Nathan was medically discharged in 2019 to follow his dream of becoming a professional pilot. He worked as a senior RA-Aus flying instructor in Lismore, obtained his commercial pilot’s licence, multi-engine instrument rating, aerobatic endorsement, and aerobatic instructor endorsement. In October 2022 Nathan started a new position as a charter pilot flying with Matt Hall Racing. He will be competing in his first Aerobatic Competition toward the end of August 2023. Nathan was fortunate to represent Australia at two Invictus Games (Toronto 2017 & Sydney 2018), competing in Indoor Rowing, Athletics and Swimming, winning a total of nine medals including three gold in Sydney. Additionally, he competed in two USA Warrior Games, bringing home 17 medals, and co-captaining the Australian team in 2019. Nathan is passionate about giving back and assisting others. As a motivational speaker and mentor, Nathan aims to assist, encourage, and inspire others to transform their toughest times into their greatest opportunities. He actively shares his story and message of resilience and mentors/volunteers for several organisations including The Hangar Youth Mentoring and AMP CAMP. Nathan was the Good Will Ambassador for 3 Wing, the NSW RAAF Cadets for 2021 and 2022. He has spoken at more than 80 schools, multiple businesses, quite a few service organisations and was very honoured to be invited back to ADFA to address the entire cohort and staff. Nathan was named as the 2021 NSW Young Australian of the Year and was a national finalist. Nathan hopes to share his inspirational story with as many people as possible and is passionate about inspiring and encouraging young people to help them overcome whatever challenges they face. He honestly believes that we are all far more resilient than we think, and imparts simple, down-to-earth ideas and strategies to help everyone realise their own personal resilience. - - - #dirrumfestivalCBR 2023 Sonder | 12 August 2023 The realisation that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own. For more information about #dirrumfestivalCBR 2023, visit https://www.dirrumfestival.org/cbr23 - - - #dirrumfestival is an artefact of Dirrum Dirrum, a movement encouraging young people’s engagement in service to the common good. Dirrum Dirrum is a way of seeing others and ourselves bound in respectful relationship, standing in a wide circle of compassionate engagement. It acknowledges a common ground and is an active choice for life beyond the smallness of self-interest. Dirrum Dirrum is the sound of red in Ngunnawal language: the colour of blood and earth. For more information about Dirrum Dirrum, visit https://dirrumdirrum.org/about - - -

Trent Dalton is the author of Boy Swallows Universe (HarperCollins, 2018), the critically acclaimed international and national bestseller and winner of the 2019 Indie Book of the Year Award, the MUD Literary Prize, and the UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing and People's Choice Award at the 2019 NSW Premier's Literary Awards. At the 2019 Australian Book Industry Awards, the novel won a record four awards, including the prestigious Book of the Year Award. Boy Swallows Universe has been published across thirty-four territories, and the 2021 stage show was a record-breaking success for Queensland Theatre. His second novel, All Our Shimmering Skies (HarperCollins, 2020), was a number-one national bestseller and was shortlisted for the 2021 ABIA Awards. His non-fiction book Love Stories (HarperCollins, 2021) was also a number-one Australian bestseller and the winner of the 2022 Indie Book of the Year Award. Trent is also a two-time winner of a Walkley Award for Excellence in Journalism, a four-time winner of a Kennedy Award for Excellence in NSW Journalism and a four-time winner of the national News Awards Features Journalist of the Year. - - - #dirrumfestivalCBR 2023 Sonder | 12 August 2023 The realisation that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own. For more information about #dirrumfestivalCBR 2023, visit https://www.dirrumfestival.org/cbr23 - - - #dirrumfestival is an artefact of Dirrum Dirrum, a movement encouraging young people’s engagement in service to the common good. Dirrum Dirrum is a way of seeing others and ourselves bound in respectful relationship, standing in a wide circle of compassionate engagement. It acknowledges a common ground and is an active choice for life beyond the smallness of self-interest. Dirrum Dirrum is the sound of red in Ngunnawal language: the colour of blood and earth. For more information about Dirrum Dirrum, visit https://dirrumdirrum.org/about - - -

Tracy Gillard was appointed CEO of Palliative Care ACT in April 2019. She was born and schooled in Canberra and worked most of her career in the Australian Public Service. After working in a wide range of corporate and national policy roles she decided it was time to take on something more directly connected to her community. In 2015, while her husband was posted to Jakarta Indonesia, she spent most of her time back in Australia helping to look after her mother who had motor neurone disease. Her mother wanted to die at home, which she did in January 2016, and this direct experience with palliative care, coupled with significant experience in governance and policy at a high level, led her to this role. - - - #dirrumfestivalCBR 2023 Sonder | 12 August 2023 The realisation that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own. For more information about #dirrumfestivalCBR 2023, visit https://www.dirrumfestival.org/cbr23 - - - #dirrumfestival is an artefact of Dirrum Dirrum, a movement encouraging young people’s engagement in service to the common good. Dirrum Dirrum is a way of seeing others and ourselves bound in respectful relationship, standing in a wide circle of compassionate engagement. It acknowledges a common ground and is an active choice for life beyond the smallness of self-interest. Dirrum Dirrum is the sound of red in Ngunnawal language: the colour of blood and earth. For more information about Dirrum Dirrum, visit https://dirrumdirrum.org/about - - -

Gretel has combined her background in the Arts and Health sectors to work with many different groups including asylum seekers on Christmas Island and the Multicultural Council for Refugees in Darwin. She facilitated a STEPS program for adults with stroke and acute brain injury through Queensland Health in Cairns. While in Cairns Gretel also worked at ARC Disability where she wrote and facilitated drama and dance programs. Gretel has worked in many roles in Canberra including writing and facilitating an arts-based program for the Messengers, a program for disengaged teenagers and a Messengers parenting program at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre. Gretel currently is the social work counsellor at Radford College. She teaches dance for Ignite at Belconnen Arts Centre and with a dance group affiliated with DeafACT. She also facilitates a Dance for Wellbeing program for all mobility levels, and people with dementia, and Parkinson’s Disease. Combing her passion as a performing artist and working in the health sector has led her to create a lived experience, three-act dance piece with her daughter, A Stroke of Luck which opened at the QL@ Dance Theatre in February this year to rave reviews. - - - #dirrumfestivalCBR 2023 Sonder | 12 August 2023 The realisation that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own. For more information about #dirrumfestivalCBR 2023, visit https://www.dirrumfestival.org/cbr23 - - - #dirrumfestival is an artefact of Dirrum Dirrum, a movement encouraging young people’s engagement in service to the common good. Dirrum Dirrum is a way of seeing others and ourselves bound in respectful relationship, standing in a wide circle of compassionate engagement. It acknowledges a common ground and is an active choice for life beyond the smallness of self-interest. Dirrum Dirrum is the sound of red in Ngunnawal language: the colour of blood and earth. For more information about Dirrum Dirrum, visit https://dirrumdirrum.org/about - - -