As mentioned I didn’t have anything to do with @RedCrossAU fundraising for 6 yrs. I was told many times stories about Aboriginal programs ‘didn’t make money’ their research showed donors wouldn’t donate to Indigenous programs I’d think sounds racist af and

Red Cross was still happy to take these ppls $. I was glad I didn’t work with fundraising. But often pushed why not promote Indigenous programs? It’s a bit like chicken & the egg. If Australians don’t know the programs, of course they can’t support it

I’d see my colleagues battle between the hard sell of fundraising vs protecting clients’ dignity. The term ‘strength-based language’ was used in services & in my work in the dept, no where else. My approach was unique. Strength-based language & story telling.

All written about Indigenous ppl’s strengths, the impact of colonisation & how with right support ppl can better navigate challenges. I got every piece approved by the person sharing their story. I kept ppl images for 3 yrs. This process was a turnoff for fundraising

They wanted comms ppl to collect stories & then they or agency carved them up. In 2018 Red Cross for the first time promoted an Indigenous program in a campaign. The stories were strength-based. A miscommunication made me realise not everyone involved had seen their stories.

This happened the day the material was being presented to @RedCrossAU CEO. I told fundraising the content is good & didn’t expect any changes. But it’s how I worked. Indigenous ppl controlled their stories. So fundraising would have to wait a day until ppl saw the product

This news didn’t go down well with @RedCrossAU fundraising & an irate colleague yells at me saying I’m costing the organisation tens of thousands in lost revenue for each day delayed. Like fk I get it. $ means support for ppl. But don’t put that shit on me. Too bad I told them

If they go to print without waiting & there’s something we missed well, it’s on them. JFC. Thankfully I scrambled with the support of deadly mob & everyone sees the product & is happy. @RedCrossAU fundraising would pat themselves on the back a lot about this campaign

Bcoz fundraising had the $ for story collection I was pushing shit up hill. I tried 3 times to collect stories of Red Cross work in Broome & Derby. The manager there was a local Nikinya woman & there was a strong blak workforce doing a lot of deadly stuff with young Blak kids

The community trusted the team bcoz they were local. Every time I pitched & was rejected it was depressing. It really wore me down & the Broome crew. Fundraising would send our teams overseas. But not to WA to promote Blak staff and Blak programs. It was a recurring theme

I collected 3 stories of Blak staff, local mob doing great work in NSW w young ones & Elders. But Fundraising didn’t want them. over a year pass & these stories staff & community looked forward to seeing, weren’t published. I felt I let the mob down. But it was out of my control

Finally they are published on @RedCrossAU website. By then two of the main staff involved had left. It was shameful. I literally spent my whole 9 years at Australian Red Cross fighting for them to show humanity to Indigenous ppl