This NAIDOC Week 2025, we honour the strength, vision and legacy of First Nations Churchill Fellows — leaders whose work spans generations and whose impact continues to shape communities across the country.
Since 1967, First Nations Fellows have used their Churchill Fellowships to drive bold ideas, build cultural knowledge, and lead meaningful change across sectors — from health and housing to justice, education, language and more.
This year we also remember Max Daniels, the first Aboriginal recipient of a Churchill Fellowship.
At just 22 years old, Max — a carpenter and community leader from Snake Bay in the Tiwi Islands — was already serving on the local council and leading cooperative housing initiatives. His 1967 Fellowship took him across the Pacific to study Indigenous housing and construction models. Max’s vision and drive laid the foundation for generations of Blak Fellows who followed in his footsteps.
This year’s NAIDOC theme — “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy” — calls us to reflect on the leaders who came before, support those creating change today, and uplift the voices of emerging First Nations changemakers.
Throughout this week, we’ll be sharing stories of Fellows past and present — each one a reflection of cultural strength, lived experience, and intergenerational knowledge in action.
Follow along to learn more about how these Fellows are lighting the way forward — for their communities and for the next generation.
