CONTENT WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners are advised that this podcast includes discussions about First Nations deaths in custody and incarceration. Reach out to your local Aboriginal health service if you are struggling with grief and trauma associated with these issues.

In this episode Lidia yarns with Biripi and Wakka Wakka man and co-founder of Deadly Connections, Keenan Mundine. In this yarn Keenan shares his personal story and speaks about the importance of building communities not prisons.

Keenan is a proud First Nations man with connections to the Biripi Nation and the Wakka Wakka Nations. Keenan had a rough start to his childhood after losing both parents at a young age, being placed in care, separated from his siblings. Keenan faced his own difficulties in life and made some poor decisions in his adolescence which resulted in his lengthy involvement with the justice system. Keenan found his passion in giving back to his community and working with people who have similar experiences to him. Keenan is the Deputy CEO and Co-Founder of Deadly Connections, an innovative, community led solution and response to the current mass incarceration and child protection crisis of First Nations people.


LEARN: Listen to Thin Black Line (podcast): Presented by Muruwari man, Allan Clarke, this podcast tells the true story of the infamous 1993 death in custody of Aboriginal teenager Daniel Yock.

DONATE:

• Deadly Connections works with Aboriginal children, young people, adults, families and communities to break intergenerational cycles of disadvantage and trauma – particularly those impacted by the child protection and/or justice systems.
• Dhadjowa Foundation is a national grassroots organisation that's been established to provide strategic, coordinated and culturally appropriate support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families whose loved ones have died in custody.They are a not-for-profit organisation that's independent from all government funding and rely solely on donations, fundraising and philanthropy. The Dhadjowa Foundation delivers grassroots support for families through three key activities, Peer Support; Financial assistance and Campaign capacity building. All of which will be family-led and founded in self-determination.

These recordings took place on the unceded sovereign lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.


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Note: These episodes were recorded while Senator Thorpe was a member of the Greens. She now sits of the crossbench as a Independent Senator representing the Blak Sovereign Movement