Recognition of ‘innovative thinker’
Wotjobaluk Gunditjmara woman Tanisha Lovett is proud to be ‘making a difference’ in her community after being nominated for a Regional Development Victoria award.
Ms Lovett, of Horsham, was nominated for the Regional Development Victoria Leadership and Innovation Award for her tenacity, dedication, selflessness, leadership and innovative thinking.
“It’s always great to be nominated for an award. It shows I am making a difference in someone’s life,” she said.
“I like seeing First Nations people nominated for awards like this – ones that are not specifically for First Nations people, but everyone. To be seen in this space is amazing.”
Ms Lovett, an artist, was involved in Horsham Silo Art and Sawyer Park projects, round table artwork at Koorie Court, Horsham, the NBN boxes project and Greater Western Victorian Tackling Indigenous Smoking consortium artwork.
She owns a business, Merindah Koori Art, and also designed Koori football guernseys for Taylors Lake Football Club during Horsham District Football Netball League’s Indigenous round.
Ms Lovett attends both primary and secondary schools to work with children and teach them about culture, identity and art as well as being a young female mentor for Indigenous youth. She is also an emergency foster carer for Indigenous children and has facilitated a variety of cultural programs.
Ms Lovett said her love for her community and culture was a strong motivator for her work.
“I take a great sense of pride in who I am and my culture and I want that for the rest of my community, too,” she said.
“I am proud of two things – the artworks that people can see across buildings and places in town, and the other is the connections I have made in the community with people who trust and care about me.”
Toni Martin, who nominated Ms Lovett, said she was a young, strong, proud and triumphant Gunditjimara and Wotjobaluk woman.
“She is striving towards making a change to racism, introducing and teaching culture within schools, mentoring the youth and making muchneeded changes towards the attitude of people towards the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples community,” Ms Martin said.
Category winners will receive $2000 in prizes and a trophy.
Winners will be announced in November.