Dawn is the first-born hearing child of Deaf adults (a Coda). Growing up in post-war suburban Melbourne her family looked like almost everyone else, until they started talking on their hands. Her first language was tactile, visual, physical and theatrical, teaching her to be aware of details, accept differences and informing her understanding of how stories are told. At a young age, she became the interpreter for her mother’s family, who never learnt to sign. Her childhood was a constant crossing between languages and cultures as she witnessed people’s varying attitudes towards differences. The Deaf world gave her a strong sense of belonging, but her parents encouraged her to find her place in the hearing world. Later, she became a teacher of English, Literature and Drama and moved to Perth, where she taught for many years in the West Australian school and prison systems. Her aim was to challenge how voices of displacement, diversity and personal histories influence expectations and outcomes.
Her place of belonging is North Fremantle where she has lived for the last thirty years. Stories have always been her purpose and passion. Dawn now spends her time writing about language and culture and discovering the silenced voices behind untold stories.
