Members On Their Way: Gabrielle Ebsworth

Gabrielle Ebsworth is a proud Wangkumara and Barkindji woman from rural NSW. She moved down to Melbourne to study Politics and Sociology, but then switched to Neuroscience to pursue a career in public health. Gabby currently splits her time between studying, volunteering and working at Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) as a Campaigns Assistant. Here, she talks her passion for empowering Indigenous children, why we should all be moving through life at our own pace and the most remarkable woman she’s ever met.

“I joined Future Women as an Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF) Alumna after I was asked to speak at the HerVote Studio Session in Melbourne. I very quickly immersed myself in the opportunity as I was looking to branch out from my very small bubble of university life.

“It’s inspired me by meeting so many amazing, ambitious women who have achieved success on their own timelines and their own terms. As a university student whose friends are all graduating, it’s been very hard to remind myself that everyone moves through life in different stages and different speeds, and that success is not always measured by how quickly you move through life’s various stages.

“In my work life I’m currently working on a ‘How To Run A Political Lobbying Campaign’ in my work in Government Relations at VACCHO. In my university life, I’m currently doing research on the inheritability of trauma through neuro-genetic mutations.”

“My passions are my siblings (if your siblings can be a passion!), empowering Indigenous children and young people through education, and footy.

“I’m always listening to the TED podcasts and the AFL Exchange. To be honest, I’m yet to be bitten by the podcast bug and am still in favour of listening to music or mindfulness meditation on public transport. I really love [Irish musician] Hozier. I’m currently reading Daring Greatly by Brené Brown (who is amazing).

“The mottos and quotes I live by are: ‘Be the person you needed when you were younger’, ‘If you can love other people then you can love yourself’ and ‘I can create a life I want to live in’.

“The most remarkable woman I’ve ever met is [lawyer, author and former Labor candidate] Shireen Morris. I actually met her at the HerVote Studio Session in Melbourne after following her political career in my work in government relations. I fan-girled a little bit when I met her actually. She’s so accomplished and down to earth. She is really a testament to what hard work, education and kindness can achieve.

“I’d love to learn a language, maybe Spanish or German. I’m also contemplating part-time culinary lessons or maybe ceramics classes!

“Outside of work I love to go to yoga, snowboard, consume copious amounts of Japanese food and watch the footy (can you tell I like footy?)

“My driving force is my siblings.

“The future for women is intersectional.

“I’m most fulfilled when I finish my weekly volunteering at Royal Melbourne Hospital, or I’m doing something that engages me both educationally and spiritually.

“Self-care means doing the boring things that need to be done for your health: booking a therapist appointment, eating a healthy meal, exercising in a way that you enjoy and taking medication.

“We can lift each other up when we acknowledge that there are people less privileged than ourselves.”