June Paisa Perkins
Author and Educator empowering multicultural community through multi-arts and intercultural stories especially for young people and their parents.
Dr June Kathleen Paisa Perkins is a multi-arts creative born to a Papua New Guinean Indigenous mother (Mekeo) and Australian father. She was raised in Australia as a Bahá’i and combines poetry, blogging, photography, story and more to explore: peace, ecology, spirituality, cultural diversity, healing from natural disasters, resilience, empowerment and more . . .
Other works poetry collections, spirituality and environment
June Perkins aka gumbootspearlz
Devoted to Writing for and with community
250 +
Publications – Poems, Non-fiction articles, Photographs, Flash Fiction, Short Stories
15 +
Collaborations – Artists Collectives, Galleries, Libraries, First Nations Radio
11 panels
Genre Con, Edith Chamberlin Oration, AFTS Conference (2), Comic Con (2), Diaspora QLD Writers Centre, Ink of Light, Sandcliffe Writers Festival, Poetry for Children Panel – QLD Poetry Festival, Tropical Writers Festival
4 & 1
4 Books Produced Topics: Creativity and Resilience, Cyclone Recovery, Poetry and 1 magazine guest edit Diaspora
25 years
Dedication to Creativity, Community, Connection, Intercultural learning
Strengths
Creative
Collaborative
Cultivating a Growth Mindset
Challenge resolving
“Collaboration and Writing Mentor”
This has been an amazing collaboration which has fanned the flame in me to let my writing take me to places yet to be reached.
Sharon – Diaspora Participant (2021)
“More testimonials on their way“
Happy to receive your testimonials for past projects.
“Working in community”
June is a joy to work and collaborate with, she is organized and has consistently shown solid dedication to her projects at the gallery. June is also a captivating storyteller, she has a careful and considered style of communicating and genuine interest in exploring ways to engage the listener.
QAGOMA Staff (2019)
Storytelling is empowerment
Projects
- Many thanks to the Queensland Writers CentreIt has been a tremendous two years serving on the Queensland Writer’s Centre Management Committee as Chair alongside other dedicated members, especially, Jemma, Mary, Justin, Lara, Stephen, David, Peter and Colin. I will continue to be a ‘critical friend’ toContinue reading “Many thanks to the Queensland Writers Centre”
- Brave, Bold, Genre con (part 2) The Uncanny ValleyThe titles of many of the sessions for Genre-Con this year were very enticing. For instance Whales, Rivers and Serpents Australian Crime, Meet Me in the Grey Area: From YA to NA to Adult, Campfires, Cobwebs and Corpses,and Getting GraphicContinue reading “Brave, Bold, Genre con (part 2) The Uncanny Valley”
- Brave, Bold,Genre-Con 2024 (part 1)This years’ Genre-Con, was a weekend of panels, special events, and workshops – beginning on Friday 23rd of February and finishing on Sunday the 25th. Amongst the presenters were Julie Janson, Patrick Ness, Kate Cuthbert, Jake Corvus, Paul Mason, CSContinue reading “Brave, Bold,Genre-Con 2024 (part 1)”
Commissions Story Factory, QLD Writers Centre, QAGOMA, Mana Pasifika, QLD Poetry Festival, QLDMusicFestival, Creative Arts Recovery, La Luna Youth Theatre
Collaborations AFTS conference Taskforce Brisbane 2022, Diaspora Fairy Tales panel, Ancestry as Fossil conversation, Diaspora Collective, Illumine team, Children’s Poetry Panel collective, Illuminations Collective, Ink of Light Writing Festival, Helene Magisson, Magic Fish Dreaming Team, Malanbarra Women’s Health and Housing, ABC Open, Licuala Writers, Nell Arnold, Daphne Cazalet, BushTV
Mentorships QPF, Michelle Worthington, ASA, ABC Open, Nell Arnold, Interplay 94, NAVA
Mentoring others Diaspora panels (3), Diverse Writers, Book Week CYA Team zoom to PNG School, Youth Endeavour 2 years, ALEA Literature Festival, Library and school based workshops for poetry, (Brisbane, and Cassowary Coast),World Literacy Day Philippines, Licuala Writers, Tutoring First Nations University Students (Deakin QUT, University of Southern QLD, James Cook University), First Year Uni (New England University, and James Cook University), ITAS tutoring (Wollongong)
25+ contributions to anthologies.
The latest one being Talanoa: Navigating Narratives
For Children, For Queensland, For Writers’ Groups, For Pasifika, For Indigenous, For Bravery, For Hope, For Forests, For Spirituality, For Australian Fairy Tales.
Australian Fairy Tales, available at GOMA shop.
Now published by Southerly
This Anthology features two of my new poems, ‘Selkie Girl’ and ‘Grand Guinea Pig of Herston.’
WQ 275 Diaspora
See response to the project article by Contributor – Dimity Powell
I acknowledge the Jagera and Turrbal people, the traditional custodians of the land on which I live, tell stories, photograph and write, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging – Brisbane, Australia.
Gumboootspearlz 