13 Inspiring Indigenous Australians To Celebrate This NAIDOC Week

naidoc week - inspiring indigenous australians
Indigenous Australians making a difference

13 Inspiring Indigenous Australians To Celebrate This NAIDOC Week

Indigenous Australians making a difference
naidoc week - inspiring indigenous australians
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This NAIDOC Week, we’re celebrating Indigenous Australians making a difference

Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! 

That’s the theme of this year’s NAIDOC week, and an important reminder to continue the push for systemic change and keep rallying behind our mob, our Elders, and our communities. 

It’s also a week to celebrate the rich history, culture, knowledge, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

Here are 13 Indigenous Australians who are inspiring us right now.

Patty Mills

If you’re in the sporting world to any degree, the name Patty Mills will be a familiar one. 

Mills is a proud Kokatha, Naghiralgal, Duaureb-Meriam man and four-time Olympian making an impressive career for himself as a professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets. He often speaks on the importance of cultural identity across his channels and shares his own background proudly, rarely shying away from the big topics and showing a large passion for inspiring others both on and off the court. 

@balapat


Kevin Wilson

Creative Director and Founding Partner of Nani Creative, Kevin is a Wongi man with a natural gift for art and design. 

He started his business after seeing a lack of Indigenous representation in the graphic design field in Perth and facilitates creative workshops to bring emerging talent into creative industries. A recent receiver of the Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year award, Kevin is driven by story and helping the next generation of Aboriginal artists tell theirs. 

Source: wf.org.au

www.nani.com.au


Ash Barty

Taking the tennis world by absolute storm, the name Ash Barty will be remembered in households for years to come. 

Barty is a proud Ngarigo woman who has become an inspiration for budding athletes and young Australians over her years in the spotlight, resigning from her tennis career just this year while holding the world number one spot. She’s openly passionate about improving the lives of young people in the community and is also the second Indigenous Australian in Wimbledon’s history to win a single’s title. 

@ashbarty


June Oscar

June’s tireless devotion to her cause is nothing short of inspiring. 

A Bunuba woman hailing from the remote town of Fitzroy Crossing, June has been a strong advocate for social justice, Indigenous Australian languages, and women’s issues over her impressive career while also dedicating her time to reducing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. She’s been recognised with plenty of awards over the years and has held a raft of influential positions that have allowed her to make huge changes.  

Source: naidoc.org.au

humanrights.gov.au


Flewnt

Joshua Eggington, aka Flewnt, is a Noongar and Wongi man making waves on the Aussie hip-hop scene. 

He’s all about using his platform to empower and educate Indigenous youth and the wider community through his music, with songs that provide a strong expression of his culture and tell stories that are relevant to Indigenous peoples’ history, culture, tradition, and livelihoods. In his spare time, he also runs in-school hip-hop workshops for Indigenous high school kids.

@flewnt_mc


Brooke Blurton

After appearing on Nick Cummins season of The Bachelor back in 2018, Brooke made history as the first bisexual and First Nations Bachelorette in 2021. 

She is a proud Yamatji and Noongar woman who has always found a place in inspirational spaces, from her early career in youth work to becoming a strong voice across social media for the Indigenous and queer communities. It didn’t take long for Australia to fall in love with her laidback and authentic personality, which she’s consistently carried as she continues to speak up on the big topics. 

@brooke.blurton


Vanessa Turnbull Roberts

Vanessa is a Bundjalung woman in the space of advocating for human rights. 

She has dedicated her life to fighting injustices affecting Indigenous peoples and using her voice to speak out for others who may not have the power to be heard. She has also worked tirelessly to bring awareness to prejudice faced by Indigenous peoples in statutory care and the criminal system and justice for children in the system. 

@nessaturnbullroberts


Alice Skye

Singer and songwriter Alice Skye gained recognition after becoming the Triple J Unearthed National Indigenous winner in 2017. 

She is inspired by her roots as a Wergaia/Wemba Wemba woman growing up aside sandstone mountains and wildflowers with a strong pride in her heritage that sparkles through in her magical tones. Like many of the artists on this list, her art acts as a vehicle of storytelling through the form of song. 

@aliceskye


Samantha Harris

Throughout her successful modeling career, Samantha Harris has always voiced her Indigenous heritage proudly and been outspoken about Indigenous rights.

She shot her way to catwalk fame from the very early age of 13, becoming the second Australian Aboriginal woman to grace the cover of Vogue at the age of 18. She has spoken openly about her mother being part of the Stolen Generation, and why it’s one of the many inspiring reasons Harris is passionate about stamping out racism and empowering Indigenous Australians. 

@sam_harris


Ziggy Ramo 

Ziggy Ramo is an Australian rapper and activist doing much more than just making music – he’s creating a movement. 

The Sydney-based artist rose to national recognition with his insightful debut Black Thoughts, and has since started work on a non-fiction book ‘Human’ and an adjoining album of the same name to invite readers and listeners to confront the realities of colonisation and dispel myths that pervade Australian society. 

@ziggyramo


Rhys Paddick 

As Co-Founder and Director of Acknowledge This!, Rhys has made a name for himself in Perth as an Aboriginal educator and advocate of cultural leadership.

His career began with educational support and mentoring programs for Aboriginal youth, and has grown to focus on bringing a modern adaptation of traditional Indigenous culture into the wider Australian forum and making substantial changes. 

linkedin.com/in/rhys-paddick


Linda Burney

Linda Burney made history as the first Aboriginal woman to be elected to the NSW Parliament and the first to serve in the Australian House of Representatives.

She currently acts as Minister for Indigenous Australians and has always held a commitment to the prevention of domestic violence and family violence in her positions while also being strongly involved with Indigenous issues for more than 30 years. 

LindaBurneyMP


Joe Williams 

Aside from being involved in the professional sporting world through both rugby league and boxing, Joe is a man spending his time working on suicide prevention and wellbeing education. 

His inspiration sparked from his own personal battles, which he openly shares in his mission to inspire youth as a motivational speaker and mentor. His published autobiography Defying The Enemy Within offers a safe space for others struggling with tools to improve and maintain mental wellbeing. 

joewilliams.com.au


Who is someone making change that’s inspiring you?