LOOKING BEYOND PROBLEM STATEMENTS
Dameyon’s world, quite literally blown
wide open and laid bare just shy of his
first birthday by the most destructive cyclone in
Australia’s history, Cyclone Tracy, birthed an
insatiable inquisitiveness of the world =
around him – every nook, every cranny.
His intellectual curiosity matched only by
his creativity and abstract thinking,
serves Dameyon to creatively look beyond
problem statements and lead with big
and often challenging questions.
Introverted and analytical by nature, deep dives
and engaging in his inner world of ideas allow
for a deeper meaning of problems in a way
that few others can, satisfying his sense of
wonder and inquisitive mind–expanding his
depth of perception and broadening of a
big picture view.
Dameyon’s wanderlust for the outback
and the night’s skies provides balance
to the theoretical with practice, providing
stimulation to diffuse concepts and
abstractions, bringing his ideas to life.
ROLE
MANAGING DIRECTOR
SHADOW BLACK PTY LTD
FOUNDER, EXECUTIVE, CREATIVE DIRECTOR
SHADOW BLACK PTY LTD BLACK RAINBOW
EDUCATION
GRIFFTH UNIVERSITY GRAD DIP, SUICIDOLOGY 2019
GRIFFTH UNIVERSITY MASTER OF SUICIDOLOGY 2023
SOCIALS
EXPERIENCE
MANAGING DIRECTOR PLATYMOOSE PTY LTD
FOUNDER, EXECUTIVE, CREATIVE DIRECTOR BLACK RAINBOW
Contact
EXPERTISE
ABSTRACTION
Filtering out and ignoring the characteristics not required concentrating on those that are.
CREATIVITY
Finding and creating meaning through wonder and looking beyond problem statements.
PROBLEM SOLVING
Counterfactual, imagining how things can be different.
AFFILIATIONS
ATLANTIC FELLOW
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION
RESEARCH
2023
Day M, Carlson B, Bonson D and Farrelly T, 2023. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQIASB+ people and mental health and wellbeing. Catalogue number IMH 15, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Australian Government.
2022
Bonson, D. Voices from the Black Rainbow: The Inclusion of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBQTI Sistergirl and Brotherboys People in Health, Well-Being, and Suicide Prevention Strategies. In: Pompili, M. (eds) Suicide Risk Assessment and Prevention. Springer, Cham.
Hill, B., Dodd, J., Uink, B., Bonson, D., & Bennett, S. Pride, belonging and community: What does this mean if you are Aboriginal and LGBT+ and living in Western Australia? Journal of Sociology, 0(0).
(2022) Bep Uink, Jenny Dodd, Sian Bennett, Dameyon Bonson, Anne-Marie Eades & Braden Hill Confidence, practices and training needs of people working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTIQ+ clients, Culture, Health & Sexuality, 25:2, 206-222,
2014
ADVISORY
I am a First Nations LGBTIQA+SB suicide prevention advisor and consultant with over ten years of experience in the field.
As a suicide prevention advisor and consultant, I have extensive knowledge of the risk factors, warning signs, and prevention strategies for suicide, particularly among the First Nations LGBTIQA+SB community. I provide guidance, support, training and resources to government departments, corporations and organizations that work with the First Nations LGBTIQA+SB community.
One of the unique challenges First Nations LGBTIQA+SB people face is the high rate of discrimination and violence they experience. This discrimination can lead to feelings of isolation, shame, and hopelessness, increasing the risk of suicide. I work with government departments, corporations, organizations, and communities to help them understand the issues that First Nations LGBTIQA+SB people face and how to support them best.
Another unique challenge faced by LGBT people is the lack of inclusive healthcare. Many LGBT people experience discrimination from healthcare providers, making getting the care they need challenging. I work with healthcare providers to help them understand the unique needs of LGBT patients and to provide them with inclusive and respectful care.
I am Northern Territory-based, with a national scope and extensive experience working in regional and remote communities with organizations to develop and implement suicide prevention programs and initiatives, including the First Nations LGBTIQA+SB community.
I have worked with various government departments, corporations, organizations, and communities delivering Safer Spaces Training, a program that provides support and resources to engage with the First Nations LGBTIQA+SB community.
I am committed to working to create a world where LGBT people are safe and accepted. I believe that suicide prevention is an essential part of this work, and I am dedicated to providing support and resources to LGBT people who are struggling with suicidal thoughts or behaviours.
CLIENTS
