On Friday 6 March 2026, our beautiful Gadigal campus was filled with warmth and strength as we gathered to celebrate six years of Yanalangami: Strong Women, Strong Communities.
Over the past six years, Yanalangami has walked alongside strong women, building stronger communities and growing a movement that nurtures women’s inherent leadership and empowerment, supporting women to create positive change in and for their communities. This special milestone was celebrated alongside International Women’s Day (IWD), with the launch of our 2026 National Online Yanalangami Changemaker Program.
It was a beautiful day that began with a Smoking Ceremony by Aunty Calita Murray, followed by a Welcome to Country from Aunty Donna Ingram, grounding us in respect for Country and community. We heard from Uncle Mick Gooda, Co-Chair of the Tranby Board, who reflected on the importance of culture as a living practice. Dr Belinda Russon extended a warm welcome to Tranby and invited Aunty Rayma Johnson, a proud Wiradjuri woman, and the Buuja Buuja Butterfly Dancers to share a special cultural performance that brought strength, spirit and connection to the day. This was followed by Aunty Bernice Hookey, the Yanalangami Lead Facilitator, who reflected on the journey of the program and the strength of the women and communities involved.
A highlight of the morning was a powerful panel discussion featuring strong and inspiring voices from our community. The panel included Aunty Corina Norman, Uncle Dion Barnett, and Raina Mifsud, and was facilitated by Krista Christensen, a proud Worimi and Dunghutti woman, Director of Indigenous Engagement and Learning, and Trainer and Assessor at Tranby Aboriginal Co-operative.
Aunty Corina Norman is a proud Dharug and Dharawal woman, with whakapapa to Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi iwi. She walks in relationship with both Aboriginal and Aotearoa First Nations knowledges and is a Board Member at Tranby Aboriginal Co-operative.
Uncle Dion Barnett is a proud son of a Wulgurukaba woman. He is a respected educator, and has a long-standing connection to Tranby through his many years of teaching, leadership and commitment to supporting students. Uncle Dion joined Tranby in 2014 as a trainer and assessor. In 2023, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2025 we celebrated his final year with Tranby with the Uncle Dion Barnett Encouragement Award at Tranby was named in his honour.
Raina Mifsud is a proud Darkinjung woman with strong Maltese roots, living and creating on Dharawal Country, and a 2024 National Online Yanalangami Emerging Changemaker.
The celebrations continued through a series of rich cultural workshops that invited everyone to connect and celebrate culture, from three Aboriginal-led, and women-owned organisations. The workshops included a weaving session led by La Toya Pinner, a 2023 Yanalangami Changemaker and Community Facilitator. A healing workshop led by Danni McDonald, 2021 Yanalangami Changemakers, created a space for grounding, reflection and wellbeing. Koori Kinnections also guided a group through a Bush Remedy and Plants workshop, sharing knowledge about native plants grown around the Tranby campus.
We would also like to thank Kallico Catering, a Supply Nation-certified, Aboriginal-owned catering business specialising in native foods, for nourishing everyone with an incredible lunch.
The day also marked an exciting new chapter, with the official launch of the 2026 Yanalangami Changemaker Program. If you are interested in joining the program and becoming a Changemaker, please apply here!
As we reflect on the past six years and look ahead to the journey still to come, we are reminded that Yanalangami is more than a program, it is a movement of women walking together, lifting each other up, and creating stronger futures for the next generations.
Stay connected with us to hear more exciting updates about the Yanalangami program.
With deep respect,
The Yanalangami Team
