What kind of power would you like?
The power to fill blank and empty spaces with colour, art and plants (i.e. free food and beauty for all), kind of like a guerilla artist/gardener/feeder.
How would it manifest? What would enable it?
I would flick my middle finger in the direction of said space.
Who is your favourite superhero/person/public figure, contemporary or imagined?
Wonderwoman of course - fighter of the good fight, freedom, social justice but I also love Jane Caro who stands up for feminism, public education and equity.
What do you admire most about Frida Kahlo and "Freda" Josephine Baker?
I admire Frida's ability to heal and survive her trauma through art and to tell her story her way through art. I love that she was a woman without peer, she lived a large life despite her physical limitations and I loved her sense of style/fashion/colour.
I admire Josephine's courage and determination and ultimately her ability to overcome the odds. Similar to Frida, she used art (music/dance/theatre) to express herself, to challenge others and to communicate. I loved her eccentricities and her ability to live a large life. Her commitment to the Civil Rights movement enacted change and she used her art to make a positive difference to the lives of others.
What do you think of when you think of them?
They were trailblazers who overcame extreme adversity to flourish. They called their own shots although there was an underlying sadness of a life unfulfilled for them both. They have both left incredible legacies, which are recognised by people of all colours and nationalities.
What would you change in Melbourne? Australia? The world?
I would change Melbourne into a woman and child-friendly city, one that could lead the way for others to follow- where women and children would feel safe at all times of the day and night to walk the streets, catch public transport and engage in art, culture and sporting activities. A city where women who work, study or play are supported to breastfeed their children for as long as the mother and child desire, without judgment, without discrimination.
I would change Australia into a tolerant society, which welcomed people seeking asylum with open arms and treated them with utmost care, assisting in their healing journey so that they can begin to participate in civic life. I would change Australia so that meaningful engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples was a reality which would increase the collective wisdom of all Australians and close the gap of inequity in health, employment, education and housing between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. I would change Australia's attitude and policies to prevent environmental vandalism and ensure that the decisions of today would benefit the natural environment and inhabitants of this land in the future.
I would change the world by ensuring that every girl received an education up to secondary level and where no woman was forced to marry, where all women had rights to their fertility, without discrimination, judgment and persecution. Where all women are enabled to make informed choices about their relationships, their health, their housing, their employment.
Are there any other issues that are important to you? Locally? Globally?
Protecting the rights of the child is incredibly important to me, to ensure that children not merely survive, but they thrive in their families, their communities, their schools where respect, care and the needs of the child are paramount.
Respecting the Indigenous culture wherever we live, learn and visit which would ultimately be respecting people, animals and the natural environment. So many issues are important to me, and the common thread is social justice and empowering communities.
Do you feel comfortable speaking your mind/putting ideas into the world?
Absolutely - It is our responsibility to do so.
Do you feel like change is possible in your area? How?
Change is always possible when there are avenues for meaningful communication, respect and responsible leadership. I love the example that we were given two ears and one mouth because we are meant to listen twice as much as we speak.
Do you feel like your ideas could change anything?
Definitely.
Do you consider yourself feminist? Womanist? Why? Why not? What does this mean to you?
I consider myself a feminist because I believe that societies become their best when viewed from a feminist perspective. For me, feminism is the right and responsibility of women to be provided information and education to make the choices that influence their lives. I heard something yesterday that I can't stop thinking about. Freedom means freeing others. Similarly, empowerment means empowering others. Feminism should not alienate men and wise men will know that their lives will only be better through feminism. This is what I owe my daughter and my son, and all of our children.
How often do you subconsciously / consciously think about your desired superpowers when you dress on a daily basis?
I'm very aware of the power of dress to alter my mood, to provide me with strength, confidence, reassurance or comfort when I need it. Yesterday I went to a writing class, and I donned by 'wonder woman' red paten leather boots to ensure my super power shone through. How often to I think about it? Several times a week.
