Am I there yet?: learning as I go and wondering what success looks like

Dr Michelle Locke explores the challenges of being ‘first in family’, whilst also recognising the enormous support of her family and the collective pride in her success. Dr Locke charts a circuitous route to academic work via a profession, noting the importance of learning environments which nurture and support Indigenous PhD candidates. The Covid-19 pandemic effected Dr Locke, in the practical ways that impacted many others, but she also shares the vulnerability and loss of confidence that can attend the isolation wrought by pandemic lockdowns. Dr Locke illuminates how the challenges of learning the language of academia can be both a barrier and once learned a form of entry. Central to Dr Locke’s chapter is the importance of publishing, along with the weight of responsibility for ensuring that Indigenous voices are both valued through careful data analysis and amplified by thoughtful publishing.