My name is Ruth Fagan, and I am a Olkola woman from Cape York.  I grew up in Yarrabah just south of Cairns because my paternal grandparents were forcibly removed from Cape York.  My father was born in Yarrabah and I have strong kinship and family ties to the community.  I have worked extensively in the Aboriginal Community Controlled Sector for the past 30-years with a focus on Indigenous Health and community development.   I am passionate to work in spaces that support the empowerment of my people with a focus on local leadership and decision making.  I am a founding member of the Yarrabah Leadership Forum and continue to work in this area in my current role with CQU exploring ways to progress the aspirations of Yarrabah and other Indigenous communities to reframe relationships and reform community as determined by them.  Further to this, I believe in the importance now to work alongside the younger generations, and I am exploring how best I can pass on my knowledge in a respectful manner.