Cindy Liu (She/Her) is a 23-year-old youth advocate passionate about increasing mental health literacy, disability rights and diverse representation. Through her focus on bringing forth the voices and concerns of young people and exploring how society, culture, identity and spaces affect young people. She has worked with various organisations exploring intersectional spaces, having worked with various organisations in advisory and co-design capacities. Through an intersectional lens, Cindy has worked closely with young people with disabilities from CaLD backgrounds. And through grassroots beginnings, Cindy is the founder and Co-chair of Multicultural Youth Advocacy Networks Youth Disability CaLD Collective which aims to bring to light the strengths, concerns and challenges of living in this intersection.

Grace Edward (She/They) is the YCDC co-founder and chair. Grace initially became involved with MYAN as a 2016 FUSE Summit Delegate, and later became the QLD Youth Ambassador (YAN) Representative in 2018. Grace is currently working on the second iteration of the Linking Generations project and with Refugee Health Network Queensland, as the Partnerships and Community Engagement Coordinator for the CALD COVID-19 Health Engagement Project (CCHEP).

Grace is also a Meanjin (Brisbane) based Playwright, Director, and Creative Producer from Yei, South Sudan. Grace fell in love with the power of storytelling as a child and was able to nurture that raw passion into a craft through the years. Through her Bachelor of arts in Contemporary and Applied Theatre, Grace was able to find a medium of storytelling that made space for community advocacy and development; a tool to understand one another better.As a storyteller, Grace Explores different aspects of what it means to be a third-culture child and a person of colour, living on stolen land. Grace has Co-written, produced, and directed four theatre productions in Brisbane with The Big Reach project (2022) being the most recent piece of work.

My name is Zaheera Casoojee, I am newly appointed 2022 YCDC co-chair. I am a South African born Muslim Australian. My pronouns are she /her. I am visually impaired and I am currently a student studying social work to hopefully one day make a difference.

Ash Hem is a member of the YCDC. They live on stolen Wurundjeri land. They’re an advocate for the centering of lived experience and work to ensure space is made for people who are often dismissed because of their backgrounds and identities by sharing their lived experiences, amplifying the lived experiences of others and supporting others to share their experiences. They have experience in peer support, training, consulting and other advocacy work.

Mac, is 18 years old and in year 12. He loves reading and being in nature. Outside of school he spares his time working along organisations to improve accessibility, inclusivity and outcomes for both LGBTQIA+ and Disabled young people. He is passionate about making sure youth voices and perspectives are shared and valued.

Rahim, who is from Iran/Afghanistan, arrived in Australia in 2003 as a refugee. Currently he is studying Nursing and Psychology at Queensland University of Technology.

He loves poetry and is very passionate about mental health and disability, and aims to advocate for these issues. He aims to use his experiences and knowledge for the best of the community and hopes to never stop learning and growing.

Iga (they/them) is a 26 year old migrant from Poland living on Ngunnawal land. Iga is a recent social work graduate and works in the disability sector.

Iga’s is experienced in the refugee/migrant, disability and LGBTQI+ sector where their skills and knowledge, as well as lived experience informs the work that Iga does within research, academia, and advocacy for the unique issues faced by multicultural communities in Australia.

Husna (she/her) is a member of the YCDC living on Wurundjeri land. She is a university student currently studying a Bachelor of Social Work, and has experience in the advocacy space, both in relation to disability advocacy and racial justice advocacy, through her professional experiences working as the Youth Project Support Officer at Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA), and as a volunteer at Democracy in Colour. She has also been involved in both sides of co-design, and has participated in advisory groups, and has experience in working with, and amplifying the voices of young people.

Husna is passionate about issues pertaining to people of colour and disabled people. She has interest in the intersections between disability and the CALD community, due to her own lived experience. Upon completion of her studies, She hopes to work with individuals and their families from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, with lived experience of disability.

Kush is from Perth, studying a Bachelor of Biomedical Science, majoring in Anatomy and Human Biology. He is passionate about empowering young people with disabilities and people of colour (CALD) communities. He has a diverse background in not-for-profit organisations ranging from volunteering with Man-UP, and YDAN, and currently working with Youth Affairs Council as a Peer Educator. Kush comes from an immigrant background and brings his perspective to YCDC to create a positive change through awareness. He is also an avid advocate about mental health and wishes to reduce community stigma so people can access help when needed.