In this yarn, I sit down with Courtney Ugle, a proud Ballardong/Wardandi Noongar woman, to talk about identity, grief, and the strength it takes to keep showing up. Courtney reflects on losing both of her parents, the ongoing impact of that loss, and how her mum continues to guide her in the work she does today. This is a powerful conversation about what it means to carry love and pain at the same time, and how our stories can shape who we become.

Courtney also shares how she found her voice through storytelling, advocacy, and football, and how her social enterprise, Waangkiny — meaning “talking” — is creating change in the space of domestic and family violence. We yarn about identity, being questioned as a fair-skinned Blak woman, and why lived experience is a powerful tool for leadership and impact. This episode is about truth-telling, healing, and the strength that comes from owning your story.

Key Themes

04:20 — Losing her mum and navigating grief into adulthood

11:10 — Finding her voice through storytelling and advocacy

23:40 — Domestic and family violence as a national crisis

31:15 — Identity, colourism and being questioned as a fair-skinned Blak woman

49:10 — Waangkiny and turning lived experience into impact

Resources

• 1800RESPECT – https://www.1800respect.org.au
• Lifeline – https://www.lifeline.org.au
• Our Watch – https://www.ourwatch.org.au

Website: www.blackmagicwoman.com.au

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Black Magic Woman is produced by BlakCast.