‘My story, our strength’
Aunty Geraldine Atkinson
In this heartfelt keynote, Geraldine shares her journey as an Aboriginal woman, weaving together personal story and cultural truth-telling to reflect on the strength, resilience, and power found in learning. My Story, Our Strength speaks to the transformative role of education as a pathway for healing, empowerment, and change — not only for individuals, but across families, communities, and generations.
Through deeply personal reflections, Geraldine shares the moments that have shaped her passion for teaching and learning, including the powerful story of her mother’s own learning journey — a testament to determination, cultural pride, and the lifelong importance of opportunity. These stories highlight how education can support self-determination, nurture cultural identity, and create space for voices and experiences that have too often been silenced.
With gentle honesty, Geraldine acknowledges the systemic barriers that continue to impact Aboriginal people and communities. Yet at the heart of this story is hope — a belief in the strength that comes from truth-telling, connection, and the power of education to foster justice, equity, and shared growth.
This keynote invites listeners to reflect on their own “why,” to honour the stories that shape us, and to recognise that through learning and listening, we create the possibility for real change and collective strength.
Geraldine Atkinson
Co-Chair of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Council (NATSIEC).
Geraldine Atkinson is a proud Bangerang/Wiradjuri woman and held the position of Co-Chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria until July 2023. She was elected to the Assembly in November 2019 as a candidate from the Northeast Region.
For over 40 years, Geraldine has been instrumental in driving government and policy reform in Aboriginal education. From starting in the field as an Aboriginal teacher’s aide in 1976, Geraldine moved forward to become the President of the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc. (VAEAI), a role she has held since 1999.
In that role she represents the organization on Koorie education matters across all education sectors: early childhood, school education, and post compulsory education and training.
Geraldine has recently been appointed as Co-Chair of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Council (NATSIEC).
Geraldine obtained a Bachelor of Education from Deakin University in 2013 and went on to obtain her Master of Education in 2019. In early 2020, her leadership in Aboriginal education was further recognized with the awarding of a Deakin University Honorary Doctorate Award.
Beyond the field of education, Geraldine has been a strong voice in areas such as justice, reconciliation and family violence. Achievements in those areas include:
- Member of the Indigenous Family Violence Partnership Forum on the development of the Strong
- Culture, Strong Peoples, Strong Families: towards a safer future for Indigenous families and communities 10 year plan (2008).
- Signatory to Victorian Government’s Burra Lotjpa Dungaludga (“Senior Leaders Talking Strong”) – The Aboriginal Justice Agreement Phase 4 (2019).
- Inducted in the Victorian Aboriginal Honor Role (2018).
“Treaty is about moving forward with an ever-strengthening voice, ensuring we take leadership in any decision-making that impacts on our communities, and always maintaining connection to, and integrity of, culture.”