For thousands of years First Nations stories have amplified communities and passed on messages throughout generations.
As discussion around Closing the Gap continues, with a number of metrics in the Northern Territory continuing to get worse, the NT's First Nations Leadership Summit by The Hatchery, in partnership with The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Alliance (NATSIWA) is a platform to celebrate the excellence of current and future First Nations leaders.
In a time of fierce debate, Indigenous leadership is vital for communities and individuals alike.
One of the speakers is Wendy Anders, an Arrernte woman from Mparntwe/Alice Springs, and Interim chief executive for NATSIWA.
She said the conference is a "really fantastic opportunity" to help connect people and learn from their vast array of experiences.
"It's an awesome thing to be able to inspire new and emerging young leaders to have some tools and mechanisms and support to take up being leaders in their community," Ms Anders said.
"It's really inspiring, and I'm really, really looking forward to it."
This summit is a space to amplify the voice, wisdom and excellence of First Nations men and women in leadership and will honour the stories of First Nations leadership through a place of shared learning and advice with the goal of helping people on the path to leadership.
Headlined by former Senator and Olympic hockey player Nova Peris and an esteemed lineup of senior First Nations leaders streamed from nationwide including Stan Grant and Marcia Langton, the summit will also feature a number of speakers who regularly work at the coal face of the community, imparting their leadership onto the next generation of First Nations people and communities.
Conversations will involve perspectives and insights into leadership from across sectors, advocacy for First Nations communities, and courage in leadership.
It builds on both Hatchery's other Indigenous events, as well as a wider range of community engagement gatherings which have been able to pass on the wealth of knowledge from many leaders.
The summit is First Nations-led, with both Ms Anders and Larrakia woman Nicole Brown on the conference advisory team to make sure the program is relevant, engaging, inspiring, and above all, culturally safe.
Ms Anders spoke of an appearance at an Indigenous women's summit earlier this year where their stories were "so powerful," with many able to connect with their stories.
"Some of us had been through it, some hadn't, but having mentors and how you navigate working in Aboriginal communities, it was just really inspiring and a real learning lesson," she said.
This storytelling and connection at the NT First Nations Leadership Summit by Hatchery will help build on the strong network of Indigenous leaders to help empower the next generation, as communities have done for generations.
With a background in public health, community development and education, Ms Anders will take part in a panel discussion, "Learning from the voices of First Nations leaders across generations".
Having not gained a high school graduation initially, Ms Anders returned to education in her 30s, starting her on a lifelong education journey and resulting eventually in a Masters of Public Health and lecturing at Deakin University.
"So, along the way, I've had some really strong mentors to support me," she said.
"There was a lot of self-doubt that I wasn't, qualified, or I couldn't do this or that, but finding that love for education gave me so much, and it also gave me a lot to look forward to the future, because it allowed me to think that I could be what I wanted to be."
The panel discussion will take place alongside Ms Brown; Warumungu-Walpiri woman and Director Aboriginal Health - First Nations Health Unit at Royal Melbourne Hospital, Candice Mackenzie; and Barkindji and Ngyiampaa Wangapuuwan woman and First Nations Community Engagement Coordinator, Brown's Mart and Youth Leadership Programs Coordinator at YMCA, Tahlia Biggs.
It is a group noticeable for a broad range of ages and experience, and Ms Anders said the next generation of First Nations leaders coming through will be able to hear and learn lessons from the older generations.
"And I think we're speaking the same language as they do," she said.
"They understand where we come from, our community issues, and I think that gives them a more real connection through their journey to become a leader."
Noting that as an older person, she would likely have a bigger breadth of experience in leadership, Ms Anders nonetheless said: "I think all of our information we can provide and share with everyone will be valued, because it's all going to be very different, but there will still be some similarities and connections there."
Asked about the different summits and gatherings she attends, Ms Anders said they all offer invaluable insight to everyone from all ages.
"I have worked in lots of areas, and I'm finding I'm still learning from these summits, I still pick up things that really connect with me," she said.
"And I think that's the beauty of these leadership summits."
The NT First Nations Leadership Summit event will take place from November 13-14 on Larrakia Country in Darwin/Garramilla, with an online option also available.
More information about the upcoming conference can be found online via The Hatchery's website.
