In this episode of the Black Magic Woman Podcast, I sit down with Ruby Heard, a proud descendant of the Jaru and Gija peoples and founder of Alinga Energy Consulting. Ruby shares her journey into electrical engineering and how a decision at sixteen to “save the world” set her on a path from Hanging Rock, Victoria, to global projects in Silicon Valley and refugee camps in Ethiopia.

We yarn about her role on the First Nations Clean Energy Network steering committee, the push to ensure mob are in the driver’s seat of Australia’s renewable energy transition, and the successes of community-led clean energy projects already underway. Ruby also speaks about the barriers communities face in accessing reliable and affordable power, the reality of prepaid “power cards” in remote areas, and the opportunities to create lasting change through policy, education, and Indigenous leadership.

This conversation is both inspiring and practical—showing what’s possible when cultural knowledge and engineering expertise come together to build a just energy future.

Resources & Links

Alinga Energy Consulting:
https://www.alinga.com.au

First Nations Clean Energy Network:
https://www.firstnationscleanenergy.org.au

Engineers Without Borders Australia:
https://ewb.org.au

Engineers Australia – 100 Engineers Making a Difference:
https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au

Follow us on Instagram - @blackmagicwomanpodcast

The Black Magic Woman Podcast is hosted by Mundanara Bayles and is an uplifting conversational style program featuring mainly Aboriginal guests and explores issues of importance to Aboriginal people and communities.  Mundanara is guided by Aboriginal Terms of Reference and focusses more on who people are rather than on what they do.

If you enjoyed this episode, please ‘Subscribe’ on Apple Podcasts or ‘Follow’ on your Spotify app and tell your friends and family about us! If you’d like to contact us, please email, info@blackmagicwoman.com.au

In this episode of the Black Magic Woman Podcast, I sit down with Ruby Heard, a proud descendant of the Jaru and Gija peoples and founder of Alinga Energy Consulting. Ruby shares her journey into electrical engineering and how a decision at sixteen to &ldquo;save the world&rdquo; set her on a path from Hanging Rock, Victoria, to global projects in Silicon Valley and refugee camps in Ethiopia.
We yarn about her role on the First Nations Clean Energy Network steering committee, the push to ensure mob are in the driver&rsquo;s seat of Australia&rsquo;s renewable energy transition, and the successes of community-led clean energy projects already underway. Ruby also speaks about the barriers communities face in accessing reliable and affordable power, the reality of prepaid &ldquo;power cards&rdquo; in remote areas, and the opportunities to create lasting change through policy, education, and Indigenous leadership.
This conversation is both inspiring and practical&mdash;showing what&rsquo;s possible when cultural knowledge and engineering expertise come together to build a just energy future.
Resources &amp; Links
Alinga Energy Consulting: <a data-start="266" data-end="291">https://www.alinga.com.au</a>
First Nations Clean Energy Network: <a data-start="333" data-end="375">https://www.firstnationscleanenergy.org.au</a>
Engineers Without Borders Australia: <a data-start="418" data-end="436">https://ewb.org.au</a>
Engineers Australia &ndash; 100 Engineers Making a Difference: <a data-start="499" data-end="536">https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au</a>
Follow us on Instagram - @blackmagicwomanpodcast
The Black Magic Woman Podcast is hosted by Mundanara Bayles and is an uplifting conversational style program featuring mainly Aboriginal guests and explores issues of importance to Aboriginal people and communities.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mundanara is guided by Aboriginal Terms of Reference and focusses more on who people are rather than on what they do.
If you enjoyed this episode, please &lsquo;Subscribe&rsquo; on Apple Podcasts or &lsquo;Follow&rsquo; on your Spotify app and tell your friends and family about us! If you&rsquo;d like to contact us, please email, info@blackmagicwoman.com.au

Hosted by Mundanara Bayles who was born and raised in Redfern (Sydney) Australia and currently lives in Queensland. The Black Magic Woman Podcast is an uplifting conversational style program featuring mainly First Nations people from Australia and around the world sharing their stories about their journey to highlight the diversity amongst First Nations peoples and the resilience of her people. She hopes these stories inspire her listeners and also create a better understanding of what First Nations Peoples culture and history.



Mundanara is guided by Aboriginal Terms of Reference and focusses more on who people are rather than on what they do. Mundanara makes people feel relaxed and comfortable as if they were sitting around the kitchen table just having a yarn. It’s the way First Nations people have been building relationships and getting to know each other for tens of thousands of years. She draws from a long family history in the media industry and has grown up in culturally strong, politically active family who have been at the forefront of the Aboriginal Rights movement since the 1960’s.



Mundanara sees this platform as an opportunity to share her cultural knowledge and insights to her audience in a non confrontational way that brings people along with her to create change for a better Australia. To connect more with Mundanara check out the work she does with her elders at www.theblackcard.com.au.



If you'd like to support the show by making a financial contribution, visit https://www.theblackcard.com.au./ Any help is appreciated and goes a long way. I encourage to get behind any First Nations media, contribute, share and be apart of positive change that Australia needs.

Hosted by Mundanara Bayles who was born and raised in Redfern (Sydney) Australia and currently lives in Queensland. The Black Magic Woman Podcast is an uplifting conversational style program featuring mainly First Nations people from Australia and around the world sharing their stories about their journey to highlight the diversity amongst First Nations peoples and the resilience of her people. She hopes these stories inspire her listeners and also create a better understanding of what First Nations Peoples culture and history.
 
Mundanara is guided by Aboriginal Terms of Reference and focusses more on who people are rather than on what they do. Mundanara makes people feel relaxed and comfortable as if they were sitting around the kitchen table just having a yarn. It’s the way First Nations people have been building relationships and getting to know each other for tens of thousands of years. She draws from a long family history in the media industry and has grown up in culturally strong, politically active family who have been at the forefront of the Aboriginal Rights movement since the 1960’s.
 
Mundanara sees this platform as an opportunity to share her cultural knowledge and insights to her audience in a non confrontational way that brings people along with her to create change for a better Australia. To connect more with Mundanara check out the work she does with her elders at www.theblackcard.com.au.
 
If you'd like to support the show by making a financial contribution, visit https://www.theblackcard.com.au./ Any help is appreciated and goes a long way. I encourage to get behind any First Nations media, contribute, share and be apart of positive change that Australia needs.

Black Magic Woman with Mundanara Bayles

Hosted by Mundanara Bayles who was born and raised in Redfern (Sydney) Australia and currently lives in Queensland. The Black Magic Woman Podcast is an uplifting conversational style program featuring mainly First Nations people from Australia and around the world sharing their stories about their journey to highlight the diversity amongst First Nations peoples and the resilience of her people. She hopes these stories inspire her listeners and also create a better understanding of what First Nations Peoples culture and history.
 
Mundanara is guided by Aboriginal Terms of Reference and focusses more on who people are rather than on what they do. Mundanara makes people feel relaxed and comfortable as if they were sitting around the kitchen table just having a yarn. It’s the way First Nations people have been building relationships and getting to know each other for tens of thousands of years. She draws from a long family history in the media industry and has grown up in culturally strong, politically active family who have been at the forefront of the Aboriginal Rights movement since the 1960’s.
 
Mundanara sees this platform as an opportunity to share her cultural knowledge and insights to her audience in a non confrontational way that brings people along with her to create change for a better Australia. To connect more with Mundanara check out the work she does with her elders at www.theblackcard.com.au.
 
If you'd like to support the show by making a financial contribution, visit https://www.theblackcard.com.au./ Any help is appreciated and goes a long way. I encourage to get behind any First Nations media, contribute, share and be apart of positive change that Australia needs.

Black Magic Woman

In the Driver’s Seat: Clean Energy and Community Power

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/05f6ca53-4e49-42ed-8a0a-b363002bebcd/transcript

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