For many young people of colour, finding the courage to speak loudly, clearly and without apology takes time. Satara Uthayakumaran represents what becomes possible when that confidence is claimed through care, conviction and an unwavering commitment to truth. In 2025, Satara was appointed Australia’s Youth Representative to the United Nations and has spoken on stages such as TEDxCanberra.

Based on Gadigal Country, Sydney and of Sri Lankan Tamil heritage, Satara was born in Australia yet carries Sri Lanka close through her parents’ memories. Much of her creative grounding comes from her father, who writes stories about growing up in Jaffna. Reading his deeply personal reflections showed Satara how storytelling can hold history, grief and tenderness at once – inspiring her to preserve her family’s lineage.

Satara learned early that stories do not live only in words. Her sister is deaf and within her family meaning travels through hands, eyes, gesture and silence. Growing up within culturally rich Australian communities where Auslan, Tamil, English, Mandarin and Arabic flowed side by side further shaped her understanding that communication requires layered listening.

She calls for Australia’s media and creative industries to widen the room. Too often, inclusion stops at visibility – one voice allowed through the door, carefully framed and easily replaced. For Satara, moving beyond tokenism means listening beyond comfort and trusting stories that do not arrive neatly or politely.