Nominated by Priyanka Ashraf
Madison Connors is a Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung and Gamilaroi woman, artist, mother and human rights activist. She is also an entrepreneur and started Yarli Creative during Naarm’s COVID-19 lockdown last year. As a strong believer that business should have a strong sense of purpose, Madison invests back into Aboriginal communities through her work. During National Hoody Week, she donated 10% of proceeds to Change the Record, Australia’s only national Aboriginal-led justice coalition of Aboriginal peak bodies and non-Indigenous allies.
Most recently, Madison has started a GoFundMe campaign to address period poverty for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia. Period poverty refers to young women whose education is compromised due to challenges with managing their periods. We might think this only occurs in poorer countries, but disadvantaged women in Australia also face barriers because they can’t access sanitary products. This is felt particularly hard in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. With a background in public health and a strong belief that prevention is key, Madison’s project aims to work solely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, medical services, and community organisations to reduce period stigma and provide health education to First Nations womxn.
