Wilson follows in father’s footsteps to make a difference in Indigenous communities

For as long as she can remember, Alex Wilson was always inspired by her father, Bill.

The proud Ngarrindjeri man has worked in the Indigenous space for many years and now Wilson does the same.

“I work for a company called Maxima and I work in the Indigenous employment sector,” the Norwood Flames star says.

“I pretty much oversee all Indigenous trainees and apprenticeships in South Australia.

“It’s a super rewarding job to be able to help Indigenous youth and give back to my community.

“My Dad has always worked in an Indigenous space, whether it’d be with Aboriginal health or Aboriginal youth.

“Seeing Dad work in that space was so inspiring to me as a kid. I’m so grateful that I’ve followed in Dad’s footsteps.”

In the basketball space, Wilson has created a legacy of her own, going from being one of the only First Nations juniors playing at a high level to now being one of 69 in the NBL1.

“The number of kids that play basketball has really grown since I was a kid,” the 27-year-old says.

“I was one of the only ones growing up playing at a high level.

“I did some work with Patty Mills’ organisation, Indigenous Basketball Australia, recently.

“I ran an Indigenous-only competition in South Australia for 12- and 14-year-olds.

“It was really rewarding to be part of an opportunity like that.”

For Wilson, NAIDOC Week is not only a special week for her but also for all First Nations people.

She believes this year’s theme, Heal Country, is a good one and provides an opportunity for all Australians to get educated about Indigenous history and culture.

“I think Heal Country is just about everybody being aware of what’s happened in the past,” the proud Ngarrindjeri woman says.

“It’s about us an Indigenous culture being able to heal from past experiences.

“People can have a conversation and be aware.

“I know a lot of people that have opinions on the topic aren’t educated at all.

“There’s so much stuff going on in NAIDOC Week where you can make yourself more aware of stuff.

“It’s always eye-opening even for me when elders speak about their experience.”

The NBL1 writes this article from the lands of the Wurundjeri people. It wishes to acknowledge them as Traditional Owners of the land. The NBL1 pays its respects to their Elders, past, present, and emerging, and Aboriginal Elders of other communities who may be reading this article today.