At the 2023 Reach Gala Masquerade Ball we had the privilege to see three of our talented facilitators demonstrate their passions.

Reach work is for young people by young people, so it was such a delight to see the talents and interests of the people who deliver our work every day. Each of the facilitators shared how their connection to sports, performing or creating allowed them to better understand themselves and create a more positive mindset in their own lives. Facilitator Cam Quabina who is a mixed martial arts athlete demonstrated the skill of shadow boxing whilst speaking out the mental strength his sport demands. In his own words;

“Shadow boxing is something I do daily, to me it is a form of physical meditation. I visualise myself in the cage and replicate what I aim to do whilst in there. The whole process was quite a vulnerable one for me. I feel comfortable being in front of people even performing my shadow boxing but to share my thoughts was something that made me quite nervous. However, it was an honour to share my passion with everybody and I felt very grateful to have received a such a positive reception. The night itself was so positive and the room was filled with many generous individuals”

We also saw facilitator Darcy, who made a video about the challenges he’s faced this year being away from his loved ones while he studied in Canada. The time lapse showed his love for art as he painted, whilst speaking about the tools he used to get him though the difficult times that inevitably come with travel. Darcy had this to say after his performance;

“Art is something that is very close to my heart as a creative and emotional outlet, but it isn’t something that I have shared in such a large forum before the Ball. I exist in a lot of stereotypically masculine settings like sporting clubs that don’t allow for such expression, so it felt liberating and empowering to share and own this part of me that doesn’t get the airtime it deserves. It made me proud that I could show that vulnerability on such a large scale, and even prouder that my art could make a direct impact for Reach when it was later auctioned for $500”

We were also lucky enough to see our newest edition to our facilitator team Fearn perform an original poem. The room was quiet as we heard them share their poetry;

“At the reach ball I was given the opportunity to read aloud a poem I had written on authenticity. This moment meant the world to me as poetry is something I deeply resonate with. I use poetry as a tool to express myself and connect with people through thought and feelings on paper. I felt incredibly honoured and proud to be apart of such a beautiful night and creating a conversation starter around identity. The idea behind the piece was to challenge the listener to reflect on what parts of ourselves we hide under different masks, which also was very relevant as the Balls theme was masquerade. I also incorporated sharing a bit about me and what it can look like to be your original self. I loved sharing my poetry because it can inspire anyone to use their voice and opens doors for wider thinking and deeper feeling. I’m so grateful I got to share this little moment to share with everyone!!”

Thank you so much for your support, it was an incredible night of story telling and sharing.