(Waskam) Emelda Davis is the first Black woman elected to serve on the City of Sydney Council in its 180-year history as a representative on the Clover Moore Independent Team.
Emelda is second generation born Australian South Sea Islander a descendant of Australia’s Blackbirding trade, she is of Caribbean descent through her father’s migration in the 1950s and is kin with First Nations people through her mother’s grandfather Santo heritage.
A passionate volunteer community builder and long-term resident of Pyrmont in Sydney NSW, Emelda has worked effectively across corporate and grassroots sectors including advisor to State, Federal and Commonwealth Government agencies on culturally specific indigenous knowledges for over two decades.
In serving the City of Sydney Council, Emelda is Deputy Chair of Resilient Communities and Economy Committee, the Lord Mayor’s delegate on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Panel, the Lord Mayor’s delegate on the Multicultural Advisory Panel, the Alternate Chair of the Local Pedestrian Cycling and Traffic Calming Committee.
During Emelda’s first term on Council, it was resolved in 2022 to ‘Support and Recognise ASSIs across the city’ which included recognition that the Blackbirding trade was informed by the Atlantic slave trade. The then 175th anniversary is
recognised through an annual flag raising, public programs across Sydney with afollow up letter sent to 500 councils across Australia encouraged others to follow suit.
Emelda’s accolades include 2024 patron for ‘She Inspires Me’, 2022 International Council on Monuments and Sites ‘Caring for Country’ committee award, 2020-CALD Panel for Women’s Business, Women for Election Australia Ambassador, NSW Parliament Recognition Statement by the Member for Sydney, NSW Premiers Multicultural Community-Settlement Services International – Human Rights Award, 2017 Rotary Inspirational Woman, Ultimo PS Sydney Inspirational Wall Medal, 2016- NSW Women of the Year (Sydney Local), 2015 NSW Council for Pacific Communities ‘Stronger Communities Award’.
Emelda is also the first ASSI person to complete an ASSI oral history thesis ‘Children of the Sugar Slaves; Black and Resilient.’ Emelda’s Human rights and social justice advocacy across marginalised communities has garnered state, federal and international government engagement as guest speaker at the First Nations Leadership & Allyship Summit; amplifying, empowering & supporting First Nations leadership in the Public Sector (The Hatchery 30 April-1 May 2024), Permanent Forum on People of African Descent for the United Nations Permanent Forum 3rd session “International Decade of People of African descent” (16-19 April 2024), Asia and the Pacific Region – The international decade for people of African descent (UNHRC 15-16 January 2024) and Sites – Global Initiative for Justice Truth and Reconciliation (GIJTR) – (Brazil Dec. 2023). In addition Emelda is a champion for Climate Justice and Social Housing and sees her time on Council as a privilege to work with all communities to bring about meaningful change.