The New Dreaming Podcast

Walking Two Worlds: Glenn Johnston Shows How Procurement Creates Real Opportunity

Thirty moves as a kid. A father who couldn’t safely say he was Aboriginal. And a career that accidentally began with “buying pens and pencils” before turning into a blueprint for Indigenous procurement and self-determination. We yarn with Glenn Johnston, Barramatta of the Dharug Nation, about what identity costs when survival demands silence and what it takes to rebuild connection when records and stories are missing.  From there, Glenn gets practical about power. He breaks down why procurement matters, how a purchase order can scale an Aboriginal business and what policies like the Indigenous Procurement Policy and New South Wales Aboriginal Procurement Policy have unlocked for the blak economy. He also challenges the comfortable headlines: big dollar figures can still mean less than 1% of the Australian economy, while mob deserve representation that matches population and contribution.  We go deep on “walking in two worlds” and the tension between culture strength and Western systems, especially hiring. Glenn shares real examples of changing interview processes into a yarn, reducing barriers like legacy criminal records and creating employment pathways that ripple through community. We also talk boardrooms, why Indigenous board representation is so low across corporate Australia and how leadership comes down to one test: are you creating value.  If you care about First Nations leadership, Indigenous economic development, Aboriginal business growth and closing the gap through practical systems change, this one will stick with you.

How Gratitude and Culture can ReWire your Health with Mengui Ahmat

Chronic disease keeps stealing years from our mob and it’s happening earlier than ever. We sit with Mengui - Torres Strait Islander entrepreneur from Badu Island - to unpack a practical, culture-first path back to health: fast smarter, eat real food, honor spirit and take ownership. He started by living the change six years ago, then found the science matched what Elders already knew: food is medicine, recovery requires space and gratitude tunes the mind like a radio to better choices.  We walk through the nuts and bolts: how chronic inflammation hides behind busy routines, why constant snacking blocks deep repair and how simple rituals - intermittent fasting, whole-food smoothies and a soothing, natural-leaning tea - make healing convenient without the hype. There’s a live taste test, a full ingredient rundown and a look at why magnesium and ashwagandha play supporting roles. Mengui shares the story-driven way he speaks with Elders about change, keeping jargon out and culture in, so the message lands with respect. This yarn goes deeper than diet. We talk about ownership over victim mentality, the real weight of trauma and the uncomfortable but freeing work of accountability.  Mengui opens up about dark, numb seasons and the turning point that brought him back, turning pain into a mission: if I can, you can. From there, we map his bigger vision - shopfronts in Cairns and Brisbane, a manufacturing and ideas hub for Indigenous creators, research-backed transparency with QR-linked data and frozen products that can travel to remote communities and humanitarian efforts. If you’ve felt stuck - tired, stressed, inflamed - this conversation offers a clear first step. Swap one processed habit for a whole-food choice, set a five-minute gratitude practice, or try a gentle fasting window and notice the difference.

Nathan Yeo: Designing A Life From Factory Floor To Founder

What if the first step isn’t glamorous, just necessary?  Nathan joins us to share how he went from a factory floor in modular construction to leading Avendo Design, a residential architecture and design studio known for plans that actually build. He walks through the early years of scraping by and how support from IBA helped sharpen his brand, strengthen his messaging and give his business the structure it needed to grow. That shift opened the door to better clients and a more consistent pipeline.  With guidance from mentors and the right people around him, one bold move turned into a six-figure development deal. This isn’t theory; it’s timelines, feasibility and the kind of opportunities that come from backing yourself and asking better questions. We also go deeper than profit and projects. Nathan opens up about divorce, co-parenting and building a blended family while growing a business. He talks about investing in therapy and NLP, writing goals he forgot about and later achieved and the discipline of being honest on good and bad days. There’s a through-line of men’s mental health here: the courage to make the call, admit you’re not okay and let support do its job. That shift changes how you lead, how you price, and who you say yes to. If you’re a builder, designer, or creator trying to bridge the gap between drawings and ground truth, you’ll take away practical steps on approvals, marketing and client experience.  If you’re a founder stuck at the first leap, you’ll find a map made of small dots: test, fail, learn, adjust, repeat. And if you’re carrying more than you’re saying, you’ll hear why vulnerability isn’t weakness - it’s leverage..

Dennis' Journey From Boxing Rings To Building Community & Home Ownership

A tough childhood. A pair of gloves. A phone call that changed everything.  Dennis joins us to share a raw, generous story about turning pain into purpose- first through boxing, then through community service and finally through the steady courage of buying a home for his family. He opens up about growing up in public housing, feeling like an outsider, and finding structure at a local gym where uncles and aunties set a standard that kept him clean and focused. Titles and medals followed, but so did a deeper lesson: kids can tell the difference between someone who has walked the road and someone who only studied the map. We dig into his role as a Community Education Counselor supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families - removing barriers to health, housing and school attendance - and the simple, human tools that work: being present, asking “Do you need a hug?” and showing kids what’s possible through representation. Dennis’ mindset is a masterclass in agency. He shows how tiny choices add up, from inventing games with nothing but socks to navigating IBA seminars, pre-approval and the path from rent stress to keys in hand. The result isn’t just property; it’s dignity, stability and the freedom to plan the next step instead of surviving the next week. We also sit with men’s mental health: the quiet after the spotlight, the myth that strong men don’t cry and the healing in speaking up, reconnecting with mob, and grounding on country. Dennis shares his next move - teaching Food Tech and HPE while finishing his degree - to reach kids earlier and offer a different arc. He closes with a call to claim culture and ancestors’ stories: you’re not half anything, you’re whole and you have an obligation to know who you come from.  Come for the boxing yarns, stay for the blueprint on choice, culture and never stopping the dream. If this resonated, follow, share with a mate who needs it, and leave a review to help more listeners find these modern day yarns.

Kayla Truth's Journey: Healing Through Hip-Hop

Meet Kaylah Truth, a powerhouse Meerooni woman of the Gurang Nation whose journey through hip-hop, activism and cultural reconnection will leave you inspired and reflective.  Growing up in Brisbane's south side, Kaylah's earliest memories revolve around her grandmother's bustling "black house" – a hub of community activism where young Kaylah absorbed the passionate discussions of politics and social justice happening around her. From nearly being whisked away to the Tent Embassy as a toddler to witnessing her first Salt-N-Pepa concert at age six, these formative experiences shaped her path in ways she couldn't yet understand. After facing significant losses in her late teens, Kaylah found herself at a crossroads. Choosing the Aboriginal Center for the Performing Arts became her lifeline – "hip-hop saved my life," she shares with raw honesty. What followed was a remarkable career balancing professional performance with profound community service, taking her from remote Australian communities to international stages alongside artists like TLC, Nelly and Lupe Fiasco.  The heart of this conversation reveals the beautiful intersection between hip-hop culture's "each one, teach one" philosophy and Indigenous knowledge-sharing traditions. Now returned to Brisbane after years in Victoria, Kaylah speaks movingly about her evolving priorities – stepping fully into her role as an aunty, deepening her connection to country and embracing the responsibility of language revival and cultural preservation following her grandmother's passing. This episode offers much more than a career retrospective – it's a meditation on healing through creative expression, finding purpose in community service, and recognising when life comes full circle. Kaylah's parting wisdom resonates deeply: "Try to be in the moment, acknowledge all the hard work that you did to get to that moment, but don't rush into the next one quicker than you have to."  Ready to be moved by a story of resilience, purpose, and coming home?