Today is International Women’s Day with a focus on breaking the bias and creating gender equality for everyone. It is important to remember, not only, the women that got us here today but also those working to continuously empower and uplift women—not just socially but professionally and culturally. The first International Women’s Day was celebrated on March 19th, 1911 when a million women and men rallied to support women’s rights. Since then, we have seen the growth and development of women’s contribution and we couldn’t think of anyone else that embodies this more than Kimberley Jiyigas.
The Kimberley Jiyigas was established by Natasha Short, in 2018, with an aim to support Kimberley Aboriginal women in building their voice, accelerate the education and promotion of the Australian Aboriginal culture and empower Aboriginal women into business. Natasha is a proud descendant of
Kimberley Jiyigas offers leadership development, business mentoring and development, conference and event management and cultural and community intelligence. They give Kimberley Aboriginal women the ability to build their voices and presence and support them in making an impact in their community. They work to ensure Aboriginal women’s voices can be heard within businesses, corporations and governments at all levels.
Natasha Short explains, in Kimberley Jiyigas’s new magazine Kimberley SHEros and not so secret women’s business, that in promoting a diverse range of voices the result will be “a society that is richer because of that inclusion”. Her focus on Aboriginal women came because they have “been too quiet for too long and it’s well overdue” and their belief that “empowering a woman is empowering a community”.
Today, Kimberley Jiyigas has a podcast that focuses on sharing the experiences and wisdom of inspirational Aboriginal women and the culture and history of the people of the Kimberley region. They have also built Maganda Makers, a group of women that lead and speak and create social change within their communities. They continue to inspire and support women within the Kimberley region and beyond.
Get your copy of Kimberley SHEros and not so secret women’s business here: