TRIGGER WARNING!!!

Proud Gunaikurnai woman, Veronica Gorrie, had spent a lifetime in fear of the police… and with good reason.  

Ronnie's grandmother, Linda, was stolen from her family as an eight-year-old in 1941, along with her three siblings.  And Veronica’s beloved father John was forcibly taken at birth from his then 16-year-old mother Linda & placed in an orphanage.

After watching her friends and family suffer under an inherently racist law-enforcement system, Veronica bravely signed up for training to become one of a handful of Aboriginal police officers in Australia, with the hope of creating a sense of safety and trust for Aboriginal communities, and for her three children.

In this incredibly powerful episode of BRAVE JOURNEYS, Veronica speaks frankly about a childhood replete with brutality, alcoholism and sexual assault, the impact of intergenerational trauma, her lived experience of systemic racism & intimate partner violence & the torment of making her way in the white, male-dominated police force, as captured in her book, Black & Blue: A Memoir of Racism & Resilience.

In the era of Black Lives Matter, as policing & deaths in custody in Australia come again under the microscope, it’s time to dispense with platitudes and focus on an honest, transparent journey of enlightenment. No more tokenism, no more box ticking. We must all commit to learning and become educated about the shameful history and egregious injustices the Traditional Custodians of our nation have endured. We must listen and we absolutely must do better. 

It is such an honour that Veronica agreed to join me on BRAVE JOURNEYS.

This is Ronnie’s story…

Please note that this vitally important episode of BRAVE JOURNEYS talks graphically about the stolen generation, sexual abuse and domestic violence and isn’t remotely suitable for little ears.

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples should please be aware that this episode may contain the names of people who have passed away.

If anything you hear during this episode is triggering in any way, please reach out to someone who can keep you safe.  And please remember if you’re in Australia, you can phone Lifeline at any time on 13 11 14.

BUT BEFORE YOU GO…

Follow Ronnie on Twitter here

Buy Ronnie’s incredible book, Black and Blue: A Memoir of Racism & Resilience here

Find out more about Tam here

Follow Tam on Insta

Follow BRAVE JOURNEYS on Insta

Join the conversation and chat about the episode here

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CREDITS:

Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi Faraday

With thanks to my special guest: Veronica Gorrie

Audio Editor: Zoltan Fecso

With very special thanks to George Weinberg, Ursula Ferguson.

And a special shout out to the beautiful Zandy Alter.

BRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrung who are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal a