Extending a helping hand to students in need
A message from the family of Eun Ju
Eun Ju was born in South Korea and came to Australia as a three-year-old. They then lived in WA, NT and ACT, spent time in Zambia as a youngster and later, a year as a 19-year-old volunteer. They experienced diversity.
Their commitment to supporting diversity is, like Eun Ju themself, legendary. With many life experiences that allowed them to see humanity in differing contexts, Eun Ju brought their own humanity to loving people as they are, rather than seeing them as 'other'. They clearly understood the need for complexity of thought when embracing difference.
Let our choice be to connect, not disconnect. To unify, not fragment. To work together, not apart.
- Eun Ju Kim Baker
Eun Ju packed their 27 years with living, thinking, sharing, reasoning, giving and loving. They communicated with people from all walks of life with compassion and sincerity. If Eun Ju were here today, they would celebrate any endeavour or initiative you might wish to pursue that allows or supports people to be true to who they are.
The Baker Family
Extending a helping hand to students in need
The Eun Ju Bursary is open to any ANU undergraduate students who may require urgent financial assistance.
Honouring the beliefs Eun Ju Kim-Baker held during their life - that all people deserve freedom from prejudice - the Bursary is particularly useful to marginalised communities, who may not otherwise have access to support.
Dana Throssell and David Connah are part of the ANU LGBTIQA+ Alumni Network and run the Pride@KPMG network. In 2021, their Pride@KPMG workplace giving activities focused on raising money for the Eun Ju Bursary.
"Our community can be at risk from so many different factors, there's so many different co-morbidities and societal pressures, and biases, that mean trans and gender diverse people can be very vulnerable, and have different needs for emergency support," says Dana. "Fundraising for the Eun Ju Bursary makes it really clear that we prioritise that support." Connah elaborates that, from the financial point of view, the Eun Ju Bursary is helping people directly.
"Being a part of the queer community in Canberra, there are people in my personal life who might need to access this kind of emergency financial support," says Connah.
"The Bursary holds a real connection to our community, meaning there is so much more of a reason for people to get involved and rally around it."
This impact story is a feature in the 2021 Report to Donors
