Indigo Interview: Investing time in community

Laura Egan was born on Gunai Kurnai country near Bairnsdale in East Gippsland. She moved to Beechworth at the end of 2020 with her partner and dog. “We now have two little kids and one on the way,” Laura said. What do you do workwise? My career has focused on supporting the self-determination aspirations of Aboriginal communities beginning over 20 years ago working in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands. This is a desert region in the eastern part of Western Australia, near the borders of South Australia and the Northern Territory (1000km west of Alice Springs). Ngaanyatjarra is the main language spoken by the Ngaanyatjarra people. I’ve since lived and worked with diverse communities across remote Australia. I’m currently working in the role of executive manager strategy and performance with Mungabareena Aboriginal Corporation – an Aboriginal community-controlled organisation providing services to Aboriginal people across the Ovens Murray region, with offices in Wodonga and Wangaratta. What brought you to your role/career? A deep curiosity about cultures different from my own, and a desire to create opportunities and platforms to facilitate the sharing and celebration of culture. I believe cultural understanding enriches communities and I was drawn to work that allowed me to connect people, ideas, and experiences in creative ways. What do you love about your work? I love facilitating the strategic exploration of possibilities and creating pathways to achieve community goals. What do you do in the community? I am the board chair of Quercus Beechworth Neighbourhood House. Our mission is to facilitate community participation and social inclusion in ways that bring joy, purpose and belonging. I enjoy contributing to this vital community organisation that works to strengthen our community. I am one of many volunteers who come together and invest their time to ensure this vibrant community resource continues to thrive. Is there an important community issue that you think needs addressing? The way capitalism has trained us to value productivity above all else. This mindset has shaped our values, work structures, education systems, and even our sense of self-worth. What would you do to solve change or improve that situation? Support the active resistance of this mindset by working less and investing more time in building community and nurturing relationships. Social isolation increases as work consumes more of our time and mental energy. What do you see as one of the most important current world issues? I think valuing productivity above all else is a global issue too. The individualism fostered by our current economic system is compromising our wellbeing. If the person you would most like to meet or knew, came to Indigo Shire or was already here, who would that be, what would you show them, and why? Tricia Hersey – an American poet, performance artist, activist and founder of The Nap Ministry. She invites us to connect with trickster energy to see what these systems are trying to do to us and to use rest as a form of resistance. Her message is powerful because she doesn’t ask people to “work harder” for change. She invites us to rest harder—to trust that stillness, dreaming, and restoring are not only valid but vital tools for wellbeing. I’d take her on the Beechworth Gorge Walk - it’s such a dramatic yet peaceful landscape that never fails to restore me. What book are you reading? I’ve just finished ‘Butter’, the cult Japanese best seller by Asako Yuzuki inspired by the true story of a woman who was convicted of poisoning her lovers.

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