Aunty Valda Coolwell Memorial Advocacy Awards

The Aunty Valda Coolwell Memorial Advocacy Awards are more than an honour — they are a responsibility. They exist to carry forward the life, spirit, and unwavering advocacy of Aunty Valda Coolwell (1940–2023), a proud Gooreng Gooreng woman with South Sea Islander heritage from Tanna Island, whose life’s work continues to shape how culture, justice, and community are held in this country.

Aunty Valda walked with cultural authority, humility, and deep care for people. She understood that advocacy is not about being loud, but about being consistent — grounded in responsibility to Elders, to Country, and to generations yet to come. She carried knowledge not to own it, but to protect it and pass it on.

Following the Mabo decision, Aunty Valda was among the first Elders in South East Queensland to deliver an official Acknowledgement of Country, helping restore cultural protocol, truth-telling, and respect in public life. She also made history as the very first Elder to sit beside a judge while sentences were handed down to mob, ensuring cultural authority, accountability, and humanity were present within the justice process. In doing so, she reaffirmed what First Nations people have always known — that culture is living, sovereign, and non-negotiable.

Her life was dedicated to strengthening community and holding systems to account. She served on the Murri Court, advocated through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service for the health and wellbeing of mob, led with dignity as President of the Brisbane Council of Elders, and guided young people as a respected Elder at Milton State School, teaching identity, respect, and responsibility.

In every role, Aunty Valda stood where she was needed most a protector of culture, a steady guide for young people, and a voice of reason in moments of challenge and change. Her advocacy was never self-serving; it was collective, grounded, and driven by deep love for community.

The Aunty Valda Coolwell Memorial Advocacy Awards sit at the core of First Nation Warriors’ mission to empower our people through culture-led advocacy, leadership, and action. Built on the belief that strong culture creates strong people, First Nation Warriors recognises that advocacy must be backed by accountability, community connection, and real-world impact. These awards embody that belief.

They honour individuals, organisations, and young leaders who walk the path Aunty Valda walked — those who stand up when it is difficult, speak truth with care, and use their platform to uplift others. Across sport, cultural leadership, justice advocacy, youth mentoring, education, and community development, award recipients reflect the Warrior spirit: grounded in culture, guided by Elders, and committed to collective progress.

These awards are intentional. They remind us that advocacy is inherited, that cultural leadership carries weight, and that every generation holds a responsibility to leave the path stronger than they found it.

Through the Aunty Valda Coolwell Memorial Advocacy Awards, First Nation Warriors honours Aunty Valda not only in memory, but in movement — carrying her legacy forward through the voices we elevate, the systems we challenge, the young people we protect, and the future we continue to fight for, together.