Dr Michelle Evans is grateful...

I’m excited about kicking off my ‘guest grateful blogs’  for 2013 with a woman I have an enormous amount of respect for. And one I am also grateful for. She’s actually mentioned in my memoir Am I Black Enough for You?

My tidda Michelle is formally known as Dr. Michelle Evans (she has a PhD from the Melbourne Business School, Uni of Melbourne). She hails from the Hunter Valley NSW, but is now based in ‘the Garden State’ where she works as an academic, a writer, facilitator and cultural producer. Working as a Research Fellow at Melbourne Business School, Michelle leads a research agenda on Indigenous Business and Leadership development, including program directing the MURRA Indigenous Master  class series. In 2012/2013 Michelle is a Visiting Fellow of the Centre for Co-operative and Community Based Economy at the University of Victoria, Canada. She was the founding Head of the Victorian College of the Arts Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development from 2003-2010; is a Board Member of Berry Street Victoria; and Trustee of the Yvonne Cohen Award  for Indigenous Creative Young People.

Michelle says:
1. I'm grateful for my wife everyday. She is so funny - when they ask you what keeps a marriage together after 17 years it has to be a great sense of humor - Amanda (pictured above) is so witty and keeps me on my toes!

2. I am grateful of my sight - I had a very very slight incident when writing up my dissertation recently when I couldn't see for half a day. Not only was it painful I just know how much my eyesight means for me

3. I am grateful for my home. Knowing that I have somewhere to go every day, somewhere safe to sleep, eat and live is very important to me and even more so knowing that it isn't a guaranteed situation for many people here in Melbourne, across Australia and the world over

4. I am grateful for the wisdom elders share with me. Building relationships with elders is really important to me, but I have found even more importantly making time to sit and listen is the key moment of knowledge and cultural exchange. Listening to great stories and sad stories is such a privilege that I treasure

5. I am really grateful for my family. Even though I live a 13 hour drive away I speak to my sisters and parents each week. Despite the regular issues we all have in families, I am grateful that they are there for me and that I can be there for them. It's really that sense of belonging that I am most grateful for.

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Anita says:  Now, I am not encouraging you to stalk Michelle, however you can find here in all these places…

You can follow Michelle on Twitter! 

You can connect with her on LinkedIn!

You can follow her blog!

And read her impressive list of publications!