Sydney’s 2021 Inner West Young Citizen of the Year and recently named 2022 Westfield Local Hero, Katrina Ikonomou is a social worker who supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (‘ATSI’) women and children across New South Wales.
Katrina is a proud Greek and Aboriginal woman who tells The Greek Herald she feels “blessed” to have heritage in two rich cultures.
“I’ve got two fantastic backgrounds that are both very rich in culture. They actually work really well together, I’m pretty blessed,” she says.
With her paternal side migrating to Australia from the Peloponnesian city of Corinth and her maternal side belonging to the Dharug people of Sydney’s west, it comes as no surprise that Katrina’s upbringing was dominated by family.
“I come from a really big family and have grown up always being around a lot of people,” she says.
“Because of that, I knew from young that I wanted to work with people and give back in some way. That’s how I decided to do social work.”
However, the 24-year-old does concede that growing up with mixed nationality isn’t without its challenges.
“There’s always that confusion of trying to navigate who you are. I look like my father, so I look very Greek and not Aboriginal,” Katrina says.
“It took me a lot of years to realise that I’m not one or the other or that I’m ‘more Greek’ or ‘more Aboriginal’. I am both and I’m blessed to have that.
“I’m always going to be questioned about my identity but I think the more confident and strong you are in your knowledge of yourself, the more people accept that. You are who you are and that’s enough.”
Creating a ‘safe space’ for ATSI people:
Katrina currently works as a clinical manager at NSW-based, Gunawirra, a community-led organisation where advisers and therapists work together to provide culturally appropriate and specialised healing services to ATSI people and families.
Gunawirra currently supports over 1500 Aboriginal families and 26 preschools in regional NSW.
Katrina specifically manages the weekly Young Aboriginal Mothers Program and works on the new Clinic on Country program that connects rural preschool children to health care by flying in speech pathologists, art therapists and occupational therapists who have expertise in intergenerational trauma and Aboriginal culture.
WATCH former AFL player Adam Goodes and others speak about the role of Gunawirra in the community and the importance of the Clinic on Country:
Pointing to the mothers program, Katrina says it is all about empowerment and confidence building.
“A lot of our mums are quite young and isolated, so we form a safe space where they can come each week and share and connect with other women,” she explains.
“It’s just been awesome to see mothers who might have a disconnect with their own child start to flourish and really take on that role, and for others to find who they are outside of just being a mum.”
Having been named Westfield Sydney’s 2022 Local Hero earlier this month, Katrina was awarded a $20,000 grant which will allow Gunawirra to fund much-needed additional clinician time and invest in further training.
As for the way forward from a national lens, Katrina says there needs to be “alot more listening to the Indigenous community.”
“I don’t think there’s enough recognition of how much colonisation actually impacts lives today,” she says.
For Katrina, the effects can be seen in an increased need for health care.
“At Gunawirra we have found that seven out of 10 Aboriginal children have hearing loss and that’s something that not only affects their attainment of an education but ultimately how they go through life,” she says.
“A lot of people within the Indigenous community feel isolated and alone, especially those who might not feel comfortable reaching out to services and getting support.
“Those are just some examples, but I think it all just comes down to being supported and being heard.”
READ MORE: ‘We share a joy of family’: Andrew Jackomos on his Greek Aboriginal heritage
