Stories that Stir® - Discovery

Stories that Stir® events are designed to break down barriers, stir conversation, and inspire positive change.

Come and listen to six storytellers, who will each share their 10-minute raw and personal story on the theme DISCOVERY in all its shapes and forms.

Tickets include a delicious grazing table to enjoy before the storytelling begins and during intermission. Food allergies are catered to.

Meet your Storytellers:

Hard Things – Karen Wong

Karen was a good Chinese daughter, a loyal friend and protective big sister. She grew up to be a fair boss, loving wife (twice!) and a crunchy-hippy mum. She smiled at everyone, and life was actually pretty good. Despite this, she felt invisible most days and had no idea who she really was until she had to put on her big girl pants.

Unwritten Skin – Ronie Zuze

Ronie was born with a visible intersex variation and grew up facing rejection from their family and society. In 2017, they found strength and belonging at the African Intersex Movement Conference, which inspired them to start the Intersex Community of Zimbabwe. Speaking out for intersex rights led to threats and a near-fatal attack, forcing Ronie to flee. Today, they’ve found safety, freedom, and acceptance in Australia.

Hidden Brother - Jennifer Chate

Jenny shares the story of her brother Paulie, who vanished from her life after her first day of school, sparking her terrifying discovery about the world. Years later, she discovers Paulie is alive, living with disability. Through a relationship built mostly without words, realises that the fullest lives are not measured by independence, but by connection.  

The Real Me – Jasper Vallance

If life's journey is about discovering your true self and your potential, Jasper has travelled through limiting beliefs for most of his life, including struggling with a stutter. Yet through discovering Burning Man in Australia and stepping into the role of a purposeful party organizer, he unlocked a whole new level of himself and his creative potential.

Forgiving Mum – Gina Toms

Gina spent years believing she was ready for love, until a psychic prediction led her somewhere unexpected. Confronted with the truth that her struggles traced back to her estranged birth mother, she chose to face the one person she had avoided for decades. In a single, confronting meeting, Gina uncovers a painful childhood wound, and discovers that forgiveness isn’t about the past, but the freedom to love again.

Proust – Maralyn Nash

When a handsome Ghanaian man danced his way into Maralyn’s life, it created a stir for her conservative parents, who were raised in a very white, Australian country town. After a seven-year romance, they decided to get married. Then the dynamic shifted, and Maralyn found herself in a relationship riddled with coercive control. Eventually, Maralyn broke free. This is a story of culture, courage and the bonds of love that keep us discovering ourselves.

* Trigger warning: Story content may include sensitive topics such as trauma, suicide, violence etc.

*18+ event