Role Model: Taking Up Space in the Fashion World

Samantha Harris is a Dunghutti woman who was born in Tweed Heads and grew up around the New South Wales Northern Rivers region. She gained early recognition in her modelling career as the runner-up in the 2004 Girlfriend magazine cover girl competition at the age of thirteen. Samantha has graced the covers of Australia's most prestigious magazines including Vogue Australia, Marie Claire and Instyle, and she's walked the runways for renowned designers such as Alex Perry, Lisa Ho and Carla Zampatti. She continues to model for fashion brands in Australia and has established herself as a notable television personality, having appeared as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars and as a judge on RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under. She has also taken on ambassador roles for L'Oreal Paris, David Jones and Swisse, as well as charities including World Vision Australia and WWF. Samantha is married to long-term partner Luke Hunt, and they live with their bull terrier Anubis. Role Model, co-written with Myrna Davison, is her first book.

Myrna Davison is a Dunghutti woman who spent her earliest years on the Aboriginal mission at Bellbrook, near Kempsey in New South Wales. At the age of six, Myrna, along with her two younger sisters, Marie and Karen, was placed in the Bomaderry Aboriginal Children's Home, known as the birthplace of the Stolen Generations in New South Wales. When her Aunty Marie took the girls out of the home and raised them herself, Myrna finally enjoyed some happy childhood years. Myrna has four children – Michael, AJ, Samantha and Chris. As they grew up and she had more time, Myrna decided to further her education and completed a Diploma in Welfare at TAFE, for which she received a major award. Myrna lives in the Tweed Heads area and is extremely proud of her children and grandchildren. Role Model, co-written with Samantha Harris, is her first book.

Gayle Kennedy is a member of the Wongaiibon clan of NSW and was the Indigenous Issues editor and writer for Streetwise Comics from 1995 to 1998. In 2005 her poetry manuscript Koori Girl Goes Shoppin' was shortlisted for the David Unaipon Award, and in 2006 she won the David Unaipon Award for Me, Antman & Fleabag, which was shortlisted for a Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, a Deadly Award and was commended in the Kate Challis RAKA Award. Gayle has published eleven children's books as part of the Yarning Strong series, and six of these were nominated for the 2011 Deadly Award for Achievement in Literature. Kennedy runs writing workshop, has presented at writers festivals, schools and NAIDOC events, and has spoken nationally and internationally on her experience with disability. She was commissioned by Red Room Poetry to write a poem for the Carved Trees Exhibition at the State Library of NSW.

Ella Ferris is a Taribelang artist from Cairns, Queensland. She graduated from VCA in 2022, and has since appeared on stage in Sunshine Super Girl for Performing Lines and Tracker for The Australian Dance Theatre. Ella's TV appearances include a pivotal role in Scrublands for Easy Tiger/STAN. As a voice artist, Ella's beautiful, clear and unique voice weaves a story and draws the ear.