Theme: Future Creators

The world is waiting to be redefined by the most connected, creative and technically literate generation yet. Young people have the biggest, boldest, quirkiest, bravest, most inspiring and brilliant ideas on how to reshape, rewire, inhabit and reimagine our world. Let’s listen to our future leaders today.

Riverside Theatres
Corner Market &, Church St
Parramatta, New South Wales, 2150
Australia

Anjali Sharma

Anjali Sharma was 16 when she became the lead litigant of Sharma vs Environment Minister, a class action legal case which, in 2021, successfully established that the environment minister owes all young people a duty of care to protect them from the impacts of climate change. She aims to raise awareness about the disproportionate impacts of climate change, particularly towards young people and people of colour, and advocates for a just future where the voices and stories of marginalised communities are amplified.

Ashi Bhat

Ashi Bhat is a serial entrepreneur, seasoned marketer and Web3 advocate. As Co-Founder of INSIDER, she’s disrupting loyalty programs for consumer brands with blockchain technology. Her Web3 newsletter, Native Marketer, is a trusted resource for c-suite executives and marketing leaders from top-tier brands, like Forbes, Sephora, TIME, YSL and more.

Dan Brockwell

Dan is the Co-Founder & Head of School at Earlywork, building the fastest, fairest pathway to begin a career in tech with Australia’s first tech sales bootcamp, Earlywork Academy. Alongside this, he runs Earlywork Village, the #1 free tech careers community for early-career folks in APAC with 5000+ members. In 2022, he was named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Technology, and was listed on The Australian’s Top 100 Innovators.

Elijah Smith

Elijah Smith is a young Wiradjuri man who has grown up in Mt Druitt on Dharug Land. He likes to express his and other young peoples stories through music and advocacy and is a part of the innovative justice project, Mounty Yarns

Jack Berne

Jack Berne is the founder of the Jack’s Mate’s Foundation and the campaign A Fiver for a Farmer. Since launching the campaign in 2018, Jack has continued to use his small but mighty voice to continue raising awareness.

Kelvin Tran

Kelvin Tran is the co-founder of Qing Fong Dragon & Lion Dance Team, a non-for-profit community organisation whose mission is to ensure that the art form of lion dancing continues to live on in Sydney. By combining Chinese lion dancing with the craft of showmanship, the team performs amazing acrobatic performances to show off the art to audiences across Sydney.

Michael Sun

Michael Sun is a critic and essayist whose work revolves around queerness, memory, and internet ephemera. He currently works in culture and lifestyle at The Guardian, where he recently hosted the online culture podcast Saved for Later. His writing on film and music has also been published in The Saturday Paper, The Monthly, ABC Arts, Sydney Review of Books, Australian Book Review, Vice, The Age, and many more.

Nawal Sari

Nawal Sari is a fashion and beauty influencer based in western Sydney, Australia. Her social media presence was built on mixing her rich culture and beliefs with her passion for creativity and redefining modest fashion. Being Muslim and wearing the Hijab, has influenced her to be expressive to her audience with acceptance, kindness and to be revolutionary, yet authentic in today’s society.

Rainbow History Class

Rainbow History Class is created by Hannah McElhinney and Rudy Jean Rigg. Since they began in March 2021, Rainbow History Class has moved from a singular TikTok channel, to a multi-platform internet sensation, a book, an audiobook and a live show. Their stories aim to inspire, educate, make you laugh, make you mad and maybe even help you win an argument.

Samuel Austin

Samuel Austin is the NSW Young Planner of the Year 2022, awarded by the Planning Institute of Australia. Through his involvement in the media and policy submission work, Samuel has been a fierce advocate for the issues faced by today’s young adults, including addressing the housing crisis, improving the night time economy, and helping make our cities more resilient and climate ready.

Steve Dresler and Lauren Cheatle

Rising NRL star turned Founder of disability support provider What Ability, Steve Dresler reveals the strategy behind building a national support service at 21 years old, and embracing the power of sport to break down barriers in the disability sector. Lauren Cheatle made her international debut in aged 17, earning a spot in Australia's Cricket squad for the World T20. A professional athlete, she is also passionate disability support worker and advocate.

Tanita Raghazi

Tanita Razaghi hosts FBi Radio’s Walkley-nominated flagship news and politics show, Backchat. Motivated by her experience at the station and passion for its community, Tanita joined the board to help connect to and grow its community whilst addressing its strategic action. She has also worked across various organisations including Guardian Australia and Australian Youth Climate Coalition. In her spare time, Tanita writes on news, opinion and culture.

Taylah Gray

Taylah Gray is a proud Wiradjuri woman, lawyer and PHD candidate. Her campaigning efforts for Indigenous rights have made national headlines. She is the first Indigenous student to undertake a PhD in law at the University of Newcastle. Taylah is also undertaking a PhD in Law with a focus on Native Title and economic theories, which seeks to increase economic growth and land reform for First Nations communities.

Tom Barrios Clark

Tom Barrios Clarke is the founder and CEO of Metaboly, a digital health platform that uses game design to help people become and stay healthy. Metaboly’s method is outperforming existing treatment approaches and helping steer clients away from preventable diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Vy Pham

Vy is a 24 year old mental health advocate who migrated to Australia from Vietnam. She is an active resident of Western Sydney and key presence in Youth Mental Health, particularly among culturally and linguistically diverse Australians.

Winnie Dunn

Winnie Dunn is the General Manager of Sweatshop Literacy Movement and the editor of several critically acclaimed anthologies, including Another Australia (Affirm Press, 2022). She is a writer of Tongan descent from Mount Druitt and has been published in The Guardian, HuffPost Australia, Griffith Review, Meanjin and SBS Voices. Winnie is currently completing her debut novel, Dirt Poor Islanders (Hachette, 2024).

Yasmina Sadiki

Yasmina Sadiki is an emerging Sydney based independent artist pioneering a fresh look into the possibilities of Jazz and Neo-Soul through her passion for the art. Yasmina aspires to challenge the scene with a raw but poetic window into her life.