Cheryl Leavy

Author, Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues, Storyteller

Cheryl is an award-winning First Nations writer who is passionate about language revitalisation and truth telling through story. 

She has led some of Australia’s most successful social justice initiatives across health, education and environment. 

Where were you born?

Auburn in Western Sydney

What other jobs have you had?

• Senior Executive, Queensland Government Department of Environment leading hand-backs of national parks, the land and sea ranger program, world heritage and treaty readiness.
• Deputy Commissioner, Queensland Family and Child Commission, acting Commissioner Indigenous, leading child death review and policy advocacy.
• EY – establishing the Indigenous Sector Practice
• ABC Journalist.

What themes are recurring in your work?

Social justice, environment, First Nations rights, arts and culture.

What have been the highlights of your career?

Learning my First Nations language and using it in my working life, including writing my first children’s book entirely in Kooma.

Returning hundreds of thousands of hectares of land to First Nations ownership, control and management, including the Daintree National Park.

Improving access to Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for First Nations people and health services.

Performing poetry with Camerata, Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra and William Barton OAM.

Working with some of Australia’s best and internationally renowned artists.

Where have your works been published?

• UQP
• Cordite

What are you passionate about?

• Language revitalization
• Providing children and young people with role models for a career in the arts and cultural sector

Haven’t I seen you before?

Probably chairing panels at a writers festivals, performing poetry, speaking at a conference or public event, interviewing artists for major exhibitions, or you might remember me from my years as an ABC TV Journalist.

Anything else you’d like to share with us?

I won my first literature prize aged 50, sparking the confidence to transform my life from public servant to published writer.

I often write in my Kooma language, which is officially designated an ‘extinct’ language. I have taught myself using limited learning resources and by listening to very old recordings archived in Canberra. Yanga Mother is the first ever publication of a piece of creative writing in the Kooma language.