"Risk is the most amazing thing to embrace. don't be afraid."

Something was said to me the other day that truly inspired me. it wasn't something specific per say, not one thing, but rather a range of things said with passion by one person. He weaved magic with his words and captivated me with his stories. It was as if he cast a spell, stunning me into complete silence (and for those that know me, silence if not my forte) and held my attention completely with mind and soul holding onto every awe inspiring word. I have never seen someone so passionate about every aspect of their life, and deliver their values and ideals with such conviction that it can bowl you over.
His name was Kon, and he was a guest speaker in one of my uni lectures.

When he was younger he was told that he would never amount to anything. he was told by his teacher and everyone else around him and he was going to prove them all wrong. being the son of a forgeiner, he was always called 'wog' and understood this sense of what it was like to not belong. this idea fascinated him and he wanted to explore it more.
when he finished high school, he 'threw himself into everything he was curious about'. he asked himself "What am i curious about? what am i passionate about? Well, go and bloody do it!"
He volunteered for crisis phone counselling, in homeless shelters, in psych wards of hospitals, with sex workers in St Kilda - anything that sparked his curiosity and passion to change.
He went and studied social work, and law and from every one of his jobs he was fired. he was fired for advocating and caring 'too much' about his clients. They told him he was too idealistic; something that he needed to grow out of. he began to ponder why cant he do anything that he wants to? Why can't he change the world?

over the years, he found that there was a need for services available to refugees within melbourne, so with a group of students, he started one. it originally started with providing food to them, and then grew, and grew and grew into the biggest service available to refugees in australia. with over 800 volunteers and around 30 paid staff, they provide legal counsel, medical support, food support and counselling amongst other things to those who are unable to get hold of those things in starting up a new life in australia.

To me he was just so inspiring, and he was so down to earth. he had so much passion for what he was sharing with us, and he was brutally truthful. all the things that nobody tells us as social workers, he went there. he ripped back the skin of a social worker to expose the raw underneath (metaphorically ofcourse...otherwise it would be gross!)
He shared stories of those working in humanities, that don't really care about humanities...not really.

People that kept the homeless outside in the rain, instead of letting them inside a food bank an hour earlier than normal. Degrading them, and treating them like animals.
Getting fired from university, after advocating for ramps for disabled students, or alternate means of gaining knowledge for those who were unable to write due to physical disabilities.
These are only a few of the examples that he shared with us, and they made me disgusted that there are people in the humanities work force that actually can treat people like they don't matter. but it did inspire me to not be one of those people. it inspired me to take a stand on things, and stand up for those who can't do it for themselves. it inspired me to do more. it inspired me to do so much more that i push the boundaries and the rules that inhibit people from getting help. it inspired me to get fired. (for the right reasons ofcourse).

I wish i could share the lecture with you, as i believe it would inspire you also, but it isn't possible. however i can share with you a few of the quotes that inspired me.

* "We are here to make a meaningful difference"
* "You can't take my integrity, my principles."
* "What do i stand for?" a question that really makes you think...
* "People do not own you. They don't own your ideas, they don't own your values, they don't own your beliefs, they don't own your heart, they don't own your soul."

AND..my favourite...

* "Risk is the most amazing thing to embrace. don't be afraid."

I hope perhaps these quotes, and his story may inspire you a bit, even though i can't describe it with enough justice.
If you want to see more on the work he does visit The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre

photograph by http://larafairie.deviantart.com/