Herstory

The free evening includes storytelling with four women from the Geelong region who provide a diverse range of perspectives.

These panelists are biographer and lecturer Dr Ruth Lee, visual artist Amal Laala, proud Adnyamathanha Woman and co-founder and director of Arranyinha Pty Ltd Marsha Uppill, and climate activist Caitlin Ramsey.

Dr Lee has taught Australian history and academic writing at Deakin University for over 20 years. She is also author of the 2014 biography “Woman War Doctor: The Life of Mary De Garis”.

Dr Lee says Mary De Garis’s story is particularly relevant to the event.

“She did a tremendous amount for the health of women and children in Geelong and was very influential in getting the first maternity ward into the Geelong Hospital in the 1920s.

“Prior to antibiotics there was a very high death rate for women in childbirth, but Mary De Garis had an exemplary record. She delivered 1,000 babies without the loss of one mother.”

Ms Ramsey is a member of Australian Youth Climate Coalition. She was one of the event organisers of the recent climate strike in Geelong that saw approximately 2,000 people turn out.

She will be telling her story about climate activism and understanding climate change to be a social issue as well as an environmental one.

Ms Ramsey said she was excited to be asked to be part of the event with the other panelists.

“They’re all incredible. I feel really humbled to be a part of it and I’m really excited to meet them and hear their stories.”

Marsha Uppill is an entrepreneur and has worked across various tiers of government is currently developing the Gender Equity Framework for the City of Greater Geelong.

In addition to her work as a visual artist, Amal Laala has also worked as an artist educator in a range of museums including Helsinki Art Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Tate Britain, South London Gallery, and The National Portrait gallery.

The event is being held as part of Barwon Month of Action aims to stop men’s violence against women and children.

Barwon Month of Action Runs between two key events: Reclaim the Night on October 25 and International Day for the elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25.

Herstory will run from 6:30pm to 8pm.