Belonging and Race

Sarah Malik is a Walkley Award winning journalist and author working on Bediagal and Dharug land. Her first book Desi Girl: On Feminism, Race, Faith and Belonging is a collection of memoir stories published by UQP. Her second book Safar: Muslim women’s stories of travel and transformation is published by Hardie Grant. Her journalism focuses on gender inequality, immigration and domestic violence. She is passionate about storytelling and voice and believes there is power and freedom in women and culturally diverse people taking control of, and telling their own stories.

Brooke Blurton is a proud Noongar-Yamatji woman and broke records as the first Indigenous and bisexual Bachelorette for Network Ten's reality television franchise. Brooke is a passionate mental health advocate and champion of young people, especially First Nations and queer youth, and all people of colour. Brooke developed her passion for mental health advocacy as a youth worker by reflecting on her own challenging journey and educating young people about essential life skills, including Aboriginal Mental Health First Aid. Brooke is an RUOK Ambassador, supports the Uluru Statement from the Heart via the Uluru Youth Network, and is a champion for LGBTIQ groups. She lives in Melbourne. 

Melanie Saward is a proud Bigambul and Wakka Wakka woman. She is a writer, editor, and university lecturer based in Tulmur (Ipswich), Queensland. Her debut novel Burn was published by Affirm Press in 2023 and she’s also had work published in the literary journals Griffith Review, Meanjin, Overland, Kill Your Darlings, and has fiction published in the anthologies Flock: First Nations Stories Then and Now, and New Australian Fiction. Her first romantic comedy novel, Love Unleashed, will be published by Penguin Random House in August.