Introduction- Who am I and what is my goal?

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Here I will publish a terribly edited podcast, because I have no idea how to use the equipment yet! This podcast will introduce me, my lived experience and why that shadows my goal, to see society see its problems. 

Next week we will be having an EDI expert on the show! Look forward to seeing you then! 

-Brooke 

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Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Hi, welcome

SPEAKER_01 (00:18):
to Dominating Diversity.
My name's Brooke Tahir and letme tell you about why we're
here.
So This is a podcast where wedig really deep into equity,
inclusion, diversity, justcreating spaces where everyone
thrives.

(00:39):
These podcasts will be hosted byme, but of course we're going to
have some guests on board and alot of different expert
opinions.
So I grew up in East Gippsland.
That's home for me.
Gunai, Kunai country.
A little town called Bensdale.
It's a community where everyoneknows everyone and a town that's

(01:03):
sadly affected by the iceepidemic at the moment.
It wasn't always like that.
I grew up with a single motherwho did her best but sadly she
couldn't always make ends meet.
With four kids including twoolder boys they probably ate her
out of house and home.
I grew up without a lot ofthings that other kids had and

(01:23):
experienced things like sexualtrauma very, very early on in
life, which impacted me in waysI never knew growing up.
You don't realize those thingsuntil you get to an age where
you're learning about it andthose memories arise.
So We are going to touch onthose really touchy things in

(01:47):
this podcast.
I want this podcast to be open,honest conversation.
So growing up, I went to a smallprimary school that was riddled
with children coming from a lowsocioeconomic background.
And that was probably due to thelittle amount of paying jobs
within the community.
I was bullied prettysignificantly for being

(02:08):
different, I assume.
Well, that's how it felt anyway.
I had ASD, I have ASD and ADHDand I guess I was dealing with
PTSD at the time unknowingly.
So I was bullied to the pointwhere a lot of the children from
my primary school that probablydidn't even consider themselves

(02:32):
being a bully have probablyforgotten.
versus me I still look back atthat and feel a lot of pain this
carried on to high school and Istarted masking a lot trying to
be one of those cool popularkids to fit in at times was
really hard I was a floater Ifloated around groups maybe I

(02:53):
didn't feel like I belongedanywhere I feel like I would
have done anything to fit in andI did things to show that things
I'm not so proud of afterreflecting on myself later in
life I feel like I'm I was onlyprobably around 16 when I left
home.
My mum suffered with mentalhealth and I wish I could go
back in life and stay with herand help her fight but sometimes

(03:20):
you have to not look back atthose things because it does
hurt.
Once I left home I'd...
left and I stuck to myindependence.
I moved from Bernstaucountryside right into the heart
of Melbourne city into a reallydodgy apartment.
I dreamt of being a doctor orgoing in the Air Force and since

(03:41):
my doctor dream broke early dueto not being able to manage
school and a junior paying wageand having to pay rent after
moving out so early I took theAir Force route.
Due to PTSD I was discharged andI lost my dream and I took my
childhood perpetrator to courtwhere finally he was charged.

(04:01):
I still I still didn't feel freethough.
I went traveling and this turnedout to be an amazing thing
because I learned so manycultural customs and traditions
from all over the world.
I came home after meeting myhusband in Indonesia.
He is Indonesian and I ended upfalling sick.

(04:23):
I've been diagnosed with with somany conditions now.
Addison's disease, a braintumor, epilepsy, fibromyalgia,
lung problems, Pott's heartdisease, and the list just keeps
going until I feel unlike anyother person in their 30s with
two kids that want to be activewith their mum all the time, but

(04:47):
I'm struggling with adisability.
And a lot of people in my lifestill don't understand that.
But a lot of people out there,including you, will feel that.
I then went and studiedbiomedical science to pursue my
dream, my other dream.
And I've somehow now landed ineducation, which I've become

(05:07):
very passionate about.
I dedicate a lot of my time towork in EDI.
equity, diversity, andinclusion, trying to make an
impact for others who deserveequality, but society becomes a
barrier.
This fueled my own experiences.
Sorry, it's fueled by my ownexperiences.
And I know that I can't changethe world, but I'd love to do

(05:30):
whatever I can to play a part inthat.
So what is dominating diversity?
Well, in my context...
we're not just talking aboutdiversity but we're actively
transforming spaces and we'rehaving talks about that and
we're opening up honestconversation and eye-opening

(05:54):
conversation for people outthere who still don't get it for
people out there who do want todo more but they want to open
their eyes up more so I want itto be a space for honest
conversations, practicalinsights and voices that are
often left unheard from, youknow, marginalized groups and

(06:16):
even people out there thathaven't gotten justice that they
should have.
So it'll be a mix ofstorytelling, expert interviews,
reflective solo episodes andaudience engagement.
Of course, you are the peoplewho matter as well.

(06:36):
So by having my audience engagedand having open and honest
conversations on podcasts,that's what I want.
I want to create a communityhere as well, a community of
people who really understandwhat this is all about.
So some themes that I'll beexploring, this is not exhausted
though, but could be culturalidentity, inclusive education,

(06:59):
workplace equity, representationin media and science,
intersectionality realexperiences from people and
modern equity for Aboriginalpeople and their rights.
So the format I'm looking atweekly, but it could end up
being bi-weekly due to my crazylife.

(07:21):
I do expect to have many guestinterviews and Q&A segments and
reflections.
With the current social climate,this is why conversations around
diversity and equity need moredepth and and they need to be
had.
So we really need to talk aboutperformative versus authentic

(07:42):
inclusion and our commitment tocentering empathy, truth and
accountability.
I'd like to invite all listenersto subscribe, share and join the
conversation.
Please submit questions andtopics that you want covered and
mention to us if you'd likewhere we can connect to you to

(08:03):
have those conversations.
Just getting off the groundhere, you can connect through
the podcast, but obviously ourInstagram and LinkedIn and
website is still getting sorted.
But the website to contact iswww.dominatingdisability.com.
I just want to leave you with anempowering thought or

(08:26):
reflection.
We are all here to make adifference.
You wouldn't be here unless youwanted to make a difference.
Reflecting on your life, how canyou use your life experiences to
make change?
These are the conversations Iwant to have and I want you to
think about because together wecan.