Calling all Newtown, Erkinville, Redfern, Stanmore girls wherever you may now live - it's time to make history!

New South Wales goes to the polls on 23 March 2019 to elect a state government. It's everyone's chance to make a difference.

You may not know me, but people call me Aunty Norma. I'm a proud Wiradjuri woman and I've lived in the electorate of Newtown almost all my life. I grew up in Redfern. Things were very different back then. Growing up was tough but we got by. My mother looked after us and because I was the baby, she took me everywhere with her. I went to my local public school in Erskineville and Stanmore. As the only Indigenous kid in my class I remember sitting up the back and hoping no-one would notice me because I was so shy, but I knew all the answers and I always loved school. My passion for education came from my mother. She taught me that education opens doors and that education is powerful. After school, my love of education took me to Teacher's College and it was activists like Charles Perkins and Gary Foley who inspired me to make the journey to Harvard. As the very first Aboriginal person to go to Harvard, I could not fail. I had to achieve. With support from the Black Womens Action Group I got into Harvard. There were no scholarships back then. I did everything I could to survive and in 1985 I made history and graduated from Harvard with a Masters of Education. This to me was such a proud achievement. These experiences made me the community activist I am today. I fought to open the National Aboriginal College and started the Lions Club in Redfern. I also started Murawina, the first fully run Aboriginal full day care early childcare program in Redfern. I feel like I've come so far from the little girl who sat at the back of the classroom, but every day things get harder for people like me. Rent goes up, bills get more expensive, Uni and TAFE get more out of reach and our income stays the same. That's why I'm asking for your help to make history. I need your help to become the first Indigenous member for Newtown. I really can't do this alone and I need everyone's support. If you can donate a couple of dollars, get involved in my campaign or tell your friends and family about my story, it all makes a huge impact. Looking back, the shy kid at the back of the classroom would never have dreamed about running for Parliament. This is our chance to make history. Chip in today! Aunty Norma Labor Candidate for Newtown P.S. If you would like to contribute, click here! Keep up to date with NSW Labor on Twitter and Facebook. To make a donation to NSW Labor, click here.  This email was authorised by Kaila Murnain level 9, 377 Sussex Street, Sydney.