Celebrating Onkaparinga women
Published on 08 March 2022
Happy International Women’s Day!
International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global day to recognise the achievements of all women. It’s also a central point of action to build support for women’s rights and their full participation in the economy, politics, community and in everyday life.
We’re celebrating IWD by sharing the unique stories of nine women in the City of Onkaparinga to offer a shot of inspiration as you reflect on and celebrate the women in your own life.
The United Nation’s IWD theme for 2022 is “Changing Climates: Equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”, while the International Women’s Day website has chosen the theme #BreakTheBias, asking people to imagine “a world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination”.
The nine women we’ve identified below in the City of Onkaparinga actively embody the IWD themes.
Alison Colbeck
Aldinga Payinthi College opened its doors to the community this year and Alison Colbeck is its inaugural principal. “I’m very proud to lead Aldinga Payinthi College and to see it take its place as a world-class educational facility for the south,” she said. Head to the Onkaparinga Youth Facebook page to learn about some of the challenges she’s faced along the way as a woman, and check out this Onkaparinga Now story on the opening of the new school.
Michelle Glazbrook and Joanne Walsh
Women’s participation in Australian rules football is growing in Onkaparinga, with women and girls kicking goals on and off the field. In fact, two of the Southern Football League’s big clubs (Morphett Vale and Aldinga) now have women presidents, with Michelle and Joanne discussing the women’s participation boom in Onkaparinga Now in January.
Amiria Mahuika
Amiria attends Base 10 Youth Centre’s Friday Night Rocks and Rhyme Recital programs at Reynella, which she says is a youth-friendly space that’s encouraging for people of all ethnicities, gender identities and sexualities. “This is super important to me as a young, biracial and queer woman that is so self-expressive,” the young musician and student says. Head to the Onkaparinga Youth Facebook page to learn more about Amiria and her passions.
Molly Walker
Could Molly Walker be one of Onkaparinga’s next Olympian? The 16-year-old, who trains at the Noarlunga Aquatic and Recreation Centre, certainly hopes so. When she spoke with Onkaparinga Now late last year, Molly had competed at an Olympic qualifying event after back-to-back national swimming championships. “Competing against my idols was both a privilege and a highly motivating factor in wanting to achieve my dreams,” she said.
Jenni Mcglennon
City of Onkaparinga’s Team Leader Sustainability, Jenni Mcglennon, is a key architect of council’s plans and initiatives to mitigate and adapt to climate change—embodying the UN theme of this year’s International Women’s Day. The work of Jenni and her colleagues across council have seen the organisation reduce its corporate emissions by 47 per cent since 2010-11, and be recognised with state and national awards, including winning a 2020 Climate Leaders Award for tackling climate change. Find out more about this work via council’s Climate Change Snapshot.
Jo
When Jo’s daughter Codee-Jo was diagnosed with leukemia in 2017, she says it was a rollercoaster of emotions. “We never imagined anything like this could happen in our happy life – in the blink of an eye, our world went to turmoil,” says Jo. “When Codee-Jo was in the depth of treatment… we really started to feel the need for social and educational learning.” Enter Jo’s registered children’s charity Lion Hearts Learning (LHL), which provides learning and education opportunities to children impacted by cancer. Head to the Onkaparinga Youth Facebook page to learn more about Jo and the work of LHL.
Jenna with the Pink
Jenna with the Pink is a local 24-year-old TikToker and content creator who’s passionate about inspiring the next generation to be more confident in themselves. The former Miss Universe finalist and Australian Supermodel of the Year winner says she used to struggle terribly with low self-esteem and body image, so she aims to offer a voice of positivity and to be a good role model to the more than half-a-million people that follow her. Learn more about Jenna via the Onkaparinga Youth Facebook page.
Vanessa
“I’m a 40-year-old mum who loves to skate, ride BMX and motorcycles with my family,” says Vanessa, a local business owner and aspiring skateboarding coach. Vanessa started her clothing brand, Chicks On Wheels (CHOW) to create comfortable gear with unique designs to wear while having fun on two wheels or four, and she’s also been giving back to the community by offering free weekly skateboarding catch-ups for local girls. Learn more about Vanessa’s story via the Onkaparinga Youth Facebook page.
Pictured
Top to bottom: Aldinga Payinthi College Principal Alison Colbeck with year eight student, Ruby; football club presidents Michelle Glazbrook and Joanne Walsh with coach Jodie Coombes; musician and student, Amiria Mahuika; swim champ Molly Walker; City of Onkaparinga's Jenni Mcglennon accepting a 2020 SA Climate Leaders Award; Lion Hearts Learning Founder, Jo and family; TikToker and content creator, Jenna with the Pink; and Chicks On Wheels founder, Vanessa.