Mandy Nolan was raised in Wondai, a little country town in Queensland.
Mandy was 15 years old and on a school basketball trip to Perth when an adult told her she was a "weird, freaky girl", which stung her badly as a teenager.
Within a few years, Mandy had left her hometown and moved to the city, where she began her career as a feminist stand-up comedian.
She then made her home in northern New South Wales and had five kids with three different dads - and somehow they all manage to have Christmas together.
Mandy has always been involved in her community; fundraising, teaching comedy and protesting. For a time, she taught comedy to people with dementia, an experience which altered her view on how the mind works.
In 2022, Mandy decided to run in the seat of Richmond for the Australian Greens in the Federal Election.
Although she didn't win, she found a new calling.
Content warning: this episode of Conversations contains discussion about domestic violence and addiction.
Further information
Originally broadcast in June, 2023.
Mandy Nolan was recently a guest on the Conversations LIVE National Tour. You can hear part of her chat, live on stage, with Richard and Sarah on the ABC listen app, or wherever you get your podcasts.