Ms. (Waskam) Emelda Davis is a second-generation Australian South Sea Islander who has worked for federal, state, community and grassroots organisations in Australia where she has exhibited diverse expertise in community development, education, training, media, and marketing.
As chairwoman of the Australian South Sea Islanders (Port Jackson) (ASSIPJ) since 2009 under Emelda’s leadership ASSIPJ have revived the focus on ‘the call for recognition’ for the descendants of Australia’s Blackbirding trade through the coordination of seven ‘Wantok’ national workshops between 2012-2015, and the development of the National Australian South Sea Islander Association constitution adopted at Tweed Heads New South Wales (NSW 2015). Holding a Masters of Arts degree from the University of Technology Sydney Emelda was awarded partial funding through the Networking Tranby ARC Scholarship for her work on Children of the Sugar Slaves – ‘Black and Resilient.’ Emelda is founder of The Black Collective AU working group in 2018 and was key advocate in 2019 towards the establishment of the Australian Museums – Pacific Cultural Collection Advisory Panel of which she sits followed by the appointed to the Board of Trustees for the International Coalition Sites of Conscious and Sydney NSW – International Council on Monuments and Sites committee. More recently Emelda is a committee member for the COVID-19 response Health Directory for Pacific Communities coordinated by state representative NSW Council for Pacific Communities and Multicultural NSW.

Achievements include:
2020 CALD Advisory Panel for Women’s Business
2020 Women for Election Australia, Ambassador
2020 Parliament of NSW Community Recognition Statement – Legislative Assembly

2021 City of Sydney councillor candidate for election
2020 Premiers Multicultural Community Medals (Settlement Services International NSW Human Rights Medal)
2020 Masters of Arts (FASS) Children of the Sugar Slaves ‘Black & Resilient’
2017 Rotary Inspirational Women’s Award
2017 Inspirational Wall Medal, Ultimo – Public School Sydney NSW
2016 NSW Women of the Year (Sydney Local)
2015 NSW Council for Pacific Communities Award

As the director for Onyx Management Group since 2004, Emelda has worked consistently and diligently in resourcing Indigenous, Australian South Sea Islander, Pacific, POC and broader community practitioners to deliver projects on a multitude of platforms producing film, television, sports, event management, music and entertainment projects for grassroots, corporate and private sectors.