Michelle Crilly (Yorta Yorta)
Who are you and where do you come from?
My name is Michelle Crilly, I’m a Yorta Yorta woman and grew up in the Northern Suburbs of Melbourne.
Tell us what growing up was like for you?
I grew up in a single mother household being the only child for my first 17 years of life. I had a great life growing up and had a supportive mother who always encouraged me. No one in my family had completed high school and my grandmother was a part of the Stolen Generations and to this day still cannot read and write.
Who are the women that inspire you?
My mother is one woman who inspires me and always did the best she could on her own. She never showed me her struggles and always gave me the best chance to succeed in life. Another woman who inspires me is my Step Mother who owns two businesses on her own as well as being a mother to my three step brothers and sister. These women on a daily basis show the strength a mother can have and how you can build yourself up to have a successful life.
What does self-determination mean to you?
Self-determination to me means taking control of your life and your future. It means standing up for your rights to build yourself a better life in the future for yourself, for you family and for your community.
What does NAIDOC Week mean to you?
NAIDOC week means coming together as one as a community all over the country. It means showing the beautiful culture that still lives on in us. It is a celebration of our people and how far we have come as a community.
Can you please tell us about the work you do in Community?
I work as a paramedic in the Northern suburbs. I get to work in my community where I grew up and show the younger generation that anything is possible as I was only the third Aboriginal paramedic in the State. I also work at Thornbury Primary School with the MALPA (Indigenous Child Health) program volunteering my time to teach young Aboriginal children basic CPR and first aid and about the Ambulance Service.
What future would you hope for young Aboriginal women?
I hope that all young Aboriginal women can have the chance to complete their education as I believe it can help you become successful in life and to help set up a better life in the future for them.