Emelda Davis
President ∙ Australian South Sea Islanders
Emelda is a founding member of ASSIPJ having extensive expertise in Community development and Media from a career in working with grassroots focused Indigenous / ASSI organisation’s for Federal and State government agencies. Emelda has implemented first time initiatives such as the five Wantok national workshops (2012-2015) the widely consulted Gilbert and Tobin Lawfirm drafting and adoption of the ASSI National Association constitution (2015), NSW Parliament recognition (2013), inaugural ‘Findem Baek Famili’ Solomon Islands/Vanuatu (2014) and the NSW Youth B.L.A.C.K workshops (2016). Emelda played a key role as a board member in setting up Indigenous organisation The Lillian Crombie Foundation (TLC 2015-2017).
Guest speaker roles have seen Emelda engaged across the state, national and international communities, education and government platforms to share historical and contemporary ASSI local knowledge and political history with communities in the French Caribbean, London, Jamaica (skype), Mauritius, QLD, NSW, SA, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Emelda has been a face and guest speaker of ActionAid Australia’s 2017 International Humanitarian Day ‘She is the real hero’ march and ‘Keep NSW Safe’ campaign.
Nominated: Sydney Peace Prize (2018) and ASSIPJ organisation was nominated for the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Award (2018).
Awarded: Rotary Inspirational Women of the Year Award (2017), NSW Women of the Year – Sydney CBD (2016) for her work in procuring significant resources for cyclone relief to Vanuatu and Fiji as well as the continued advocacy work, and NSW Council for Pacific Communities Award (2015) – ‘Community Events’ and ‘Stronger Families’ categories.
Guest speaker roles have seen Emelda engaged across the state, national and international communities, education and government platforms to share historical and contemporary ASSI local knowledge and political history with communities in the French Caribbean, London, Jamaica (skype), Mauritius, QLD, NSW, SA, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Emelda has been a face and guest speaker of ActionAid Australia’s 2017 International Humanitarian Day ‘She is the real hero’ march and ‘Keep NSW Safe’ campaign.
Nominated: Sydney Peace Prize (2018) and ASSIPJ organisation was nominated for the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Award (2018).
Awarded: Rotary Inspirational Women of the Year Award (2017), NSW Women of the Year – Sydney CBD (2016) for her work in procuring significant resources for cyclone relief to Vanuatu and Fiji as well as the continued advocacy work, and NSW Council for Pacific Communities Award (2015) – ‘Community Events’ and ‘Stronger Families’ categories.