Jaki Adams

2022 Cohort

Jaki is working to define allyship accountability (and development of a tool/criteria for its assessment) from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspective, while working with non-Indigenous allies to understand that accountability is action.

Jaki is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descended from the Yadhaigana and Wuthathi people of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia. She has traditional family ties with the Gurindji Peoples of Central Western Northern Territory, and extended family relationships with the people of the Torres Straits and Warlpiri (Yuendumu Northern Territory). She is based in Darwin, Northern Territory where she is Director Social Justice and Regional Engagement at The Fred Hollows Foundation (Australia and Asia-Pacific).

Jaki has 25 years experience in government and non-government/international development sectors leading effective stakeholder relationships and harnessing a positive reputation within both the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and eye health sectors, and across the Asia-Pacific eye care sector. She is personally and professionally committed to do what she can to influence change in health equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. She sees this happening through creating positive narratives, bringing people on the journey, and using truth and facts. In her leadership roles at The Fred Hollows Foundation over the past nine years, she has been committed to advancing the social justice (right to health) and an eye care programming agenda for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and those most marginalised across Asia Pacific.

Through AFSE, Jaki aims to test the concept of true allyship from the perspective of bringing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander thought leadership into a highly reputable non-Indigenous (international development) organisation, as it embarks on an accelerated approach to social justice and public accountability.

“I want my legacy to be one that elevated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ voices and influenced wider Australia to be true allies.”

Social change work

Jaki intends to unpack what ‘true allyship’ looks like by understanding the theory it’s based on, and what it means for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, organisations and individuals. This will include how to mobilise a groundswell of support, and what being ‘publicly accountable’ looks like for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. This will include assessing the success of an organisation such as The Fred Hollows Foundation, and other international NGOs, in this space. More specifically, she will explore how to appropriately apply the Uluru Statement from the Heart (Voice, Truth Treaty) in her project.