In conversation with Amy Thunig

Listen to Amy Thunig in conversation with Zoya Patel on Amy's new book Tell Me Again on the Experience ANU SoundCloud channel

Amy Thunig will be in conversation with Zoya Patel on Amy's new book Tell Me Again, which has been called the most inspirational and important memoir of 2022. Tell Me Again explores the importance of culture and extended family networks in the face of poverty, disadvantage and discrimination and the power of stories to shape and sustain us, even when they involve hardship and struggle.

For years, Amy Thunig thought she knew all the details about the day she was born, often demanding that the story of her birth be retold. Years later, heavily pregnant with her own first child, she learns what really happened that day. It's a tale that exemplifies many of the events of her early life, where circumstances sometimes dictated that things be slightly different from how they might seem - including what is meant by her dad being away for 'work' and why her legal last name differs from her family's.

In this remarkable memoir, Amy narrates her journey through childhood and adolescence, growing up with parents who struggled with addiction and incarceration. She reveals the importance of extended family and community networks when your immediate loved ones are dealing with endemic poverty and intergenerational trauma. Tell Me Again will captivate, move and inspire readers with its candour and insight.

'Lyrical, moving and above all life-affirming'. - Clementine Ford; 'Original, arresting and profound. I devoured this book and I will recommend it to everyone I know - the more people that read this story, the better we will all be.' Julia Baird

Dr Amy Thunig is a Gomeroi/Gamilaroi/Kamilaroi yinarr (woman) and mother who resides on the unceded lands of the Awabakal peoples. Amy is an academic in the School of Education, Macquarie University, where she researches the intersection of Indigenous knowledges, sovereignty and formal education systems. She is Director at Story Factory in Redfern, where in 2019 she delivered their TEDx talk: 'Disruption is not a dirty word'. Amy is a media commentator and panellist, regularly appearing on television programs such as ABC's The Drum, and writing for publications such as Buzzfeed, Sydney Review of Books, IndigenousX, The Guardian and more. In 2019 Amy was named co-winner of the ANZSOG-sponsored Emerging Female Leader in Government or Public Sector for her outstanding academic and community leadership.

Zoya Patel is a writer, editor and communications professional, based in Canberra. She is the author of No Country Woman, a memoir of race, religion and feminism, and co-hosts the Margin Notes podcast alongside Yen Eriksen. Zoya is a columnist for the RiotACT, and regular books critic and writer for The Guardian, Canberra Times, SBS Voices, Refinery29 and more. Zoya has won numerous awards for her writing and editing, and she was a 2020 judge for the Stella Prize and Chair of the 2021 Stella Prize judging panel.

Kim Rubenstein, Professor in the Faculty of Business Government and Law and Academic Director of the 50/50 by 2030 Foundation at the University of Canberra, will give the vote of thanks.

This event is in association with Harry Hartog Bookshop. Books will be available for purchase on the evening in the Cultural Centre foyer. Pre-event book signings will be available from 5.30pm, and available again after the event.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Registration is required for this event.
• Accessible parking spaces are available around campus should you require them.
• To help keep everyone safe, please ensure that you are familiar with, and follow, the advice from ACT Health regarding COVID-19.
• If you do not feel well, please refrain from attending this event.
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• A podcast will be made available after the event.