Honouring the Past, Empowering the Future
Last week was NAIDOC Week (6-13 July 2025) — a time that holds deep meaning for many of us across the country. For some, it’s a week of celebration: the flags, the events, the acknowledgments. And while those moments are powerful and important, NAIDOC Week is also a moment to slow down. To reflect. To reconnect with what truly matters.
As a proud Bundjalung woman, NAIDOC Week always brings me home — not necessarily physically, but spiritually. I find myself remembering the quiet strength of my mum, aunts and elders, the lessons shared over tea and scones, the stories passed down. They weren’t written in books, but they’ve shaped everything I do. They remind me who I am — and where I come from.
This year marked 50 years of NAIDOC, with the theme “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy.” And it couldn’t have been more fitting. Because while NAIDOC may technically be one week, the conversations, the reflections, and the work — that continues well beyond the calendar.
Reflecting on what we’re passing on
In business, in leadership, in life we all leave a legacy. The question is: what kind?
- Are we creating space for the next generation to step in with confidence, culture, and pride?
- Are we actively listening, learning, and lifting up young voices?
- Are we showing up in a way that honours where we’ve come from and where we’re going?
These aren’t just cultural questions they’re leadership questions. And they deserve honest answers.
Aligning your work with a bigger purpose
Legacy isn’t just about the big moments. It’s built in the everyday actions in the way we show up at work, in the decisions we make, in the people we choose to uplift.
So ask yourself:
- Are we building environments where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people feel safe, respected, and seen?
- Are we walking the talk on reconciliation, or just ticking the box?
- Are our workplaces places of belonging or just policy?
- Are we leading in a way that feels aligned with our values?
Take meaningful action
If you’re wondering how to move from intention to action, here are four ways you can honour the theme of Strength, Vision & Legacy in real and tangible ways:
1. Review your workplace cultural safety
Ask:
- Is our team culturally aware, or culturally capable?
- Do our First Nations staff feel genuinely supported — not just hired?
- Are we engaging with culture in a respectful and ongoing way?
If not, now’s the time to build that foundation.
2. Check in on your partnerships
Look at your suppliers, facilitators, and collaborators.
- Are you supporting Blak-owned businesses where you can?
- Are you amplifying First Nations voices, not speaking over them?
Real impact often starts with who you choose to work with.
3. Reconnect with your vision
Ask yourself and your team:
- Does our reconciliation work feel connected to our core values and mission?
- Are we shaping a workplace where future generations can thrive?
- Are we building something we’d be proud to hand over?
4. Let go of what no longer serves
Sometimes reconciliation gets stuck in policy. Or in fear of saying the wrong thing. This is the time to release what’s not working and lean into real, relational, respectful growth.
Reconciliation in practice
At Elephant in the Room Consulting, we believe reconciliation is not just a goal. It’s a practice. A relationship. A way of being.
Whether you’re at the beginning of your journey or ready to go deeper, we help organisations:
- Build culturally safe workplaces
- Deliver meaningful learning experiences that shift hearts and minds
- Design sustainable reconciliation strategies that create real-world impact
NAIDOC Week may be over, but the work continues. Let’s keep the reflection going. Let’s keep asking the questions that matter. Let’s take action that honours the past and empowers the next generation.
Because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind — it’s what we build forward, together.
