Mariam Issa

Through powerful stories that tell of her trials and tribulations, Mariam Issa has inspired countless women to stop seeing themselves as victims, but to see the butterfly within in order to achieve their fullest potential.

At age 30, Mariam moved to Melbourne from her Somali homeland with her husband, four children, and a fifth on the way. Mariam struggled to adapt to a foreign culture that was far away from the tight communities and families she was familiar with in Somalia. Having spent 10 years going through depression, Mariam decided to be an activist by taking her own experiences and sharing it with the world around her. 

Mariam is the distinguished author of “A Resilient Life,” a story of resilience in the face of hardship. It is an inspiring exploration into the spirit of determination, optimism, and all that makes us human. She is also the co-founder of RAW (Resilient Aspiring Women), a not-for-profit organisation that supports women’s resilience through intercultural exchanges facilitated by storytelling, cooking and gardening.

Mariam is committed to improving refugee’s lives by sharing her own experiences on the board of Asylum Seekers Resource Centre, serving as an ambassador for Refugee Council of Australia and a Director at Family Peace. She is an International Women’s Forum member and co-founder of Space2b, an art and design-based social enterprise established to support asylum seekers, refugees and newly-arrived migrants. 

In recognition of her on-going work amongst Melbourne’s culturally diverse population, Mariam was awarded the Ambassador of Peace award from the Universal Peace Federation. She is regularly speaks to large organisations and conferences, as well as being featured on national Australian TV and radio.

Having undergone her own hardships, Mariam is committed to sharing her own stories in order to help people overcome adversity through resilience and connecting with their local community.