Born to Bangladeshi parents in Japan and raised in Australia from an early age, Numa Sarker’s story has never followed a straight line – and that is precisely where her strength lies. As a writer and creative, her voice is shaped by a life where identity is layered, shifting and continually being understood.

Living and working on Dharawal Country, Wollongong, her practice spans personal essays, creative strategy and cultural storytelling. She writes towards what’s often left unspoken – mental health, faith, belonging – grounding these ideas in lived experience. There’s an openness to her voice, even as she navigates the uncertainty that can come with claiming space as a creative.

Like many artists, her path hasn’t kept to a single lane. Alongside her writing, Numa has built a corporate career, which sits in contrast to the vulnerability of her creative practice. The balance isn’t always easy, and the feeling of being an imposter can surface. But it’s this honesty that gives her work weight, allowing others who feel the same to recognise themselves in it.

Numa is also part of An.Other Collective – a community of Muslim female makers, artists and designers formed through a shared experience of “otherness”. Their work creates space for conversation while celebrating the perspectives of Muslim women across creative disciplines in Australia.