21 WOMEN OF 2021
Yasmin Poole, Youth advocate
PORTRAIT BY HUGH STEWART
It’s hard to believe that Yasmin Poole has only just finished her university degree. The public speaker, writer and youth advocate sits on the boards of Oz Harvest and YWCA Australia, is the National Ambassador for Plan International and, earlier this year, was named the 2021 Youth Influencer of the Year by The Martin Luther King Jr. Center. Poole is passionate about amplifying the voices of young Australians in the national conversation, and in particular improving the representation of young women and people of colour in politics.
“If you want to create systems that support Australians better, we need to include young people in the conversation. What I’m trying to push for is to give young people a platform that allows us not just to be heard for hope, but that actually gives us the tools to effect that change,” says the 22-year-old. Despite the challenges 2021 has thrown at us, Poole is optimistic the events of this year have “shown young women people are listening”. “The way we’ve seen young women leading these conversations about race, climate change and sexual assault is really encouraging. That visibility shows us that when we speak out, we will be supported.”
Hope for 2022: “I really want to see patriarchy, sexism and especially issues surrounding sexual assault being top-priority voting issues in the next federal election.” Amy Campbell
Liane Moriarty, Author
PORTRAIT BY RACHEL KARA ASHTON
It’s been a momentous decade for the New York Times bestselling author Liane Moriarty. But 2021 has been especially eventful, in both a personal and a professional sense. Shortly after delivering the manuscript for her ninth novel, Apples Never Fall, the beloved Australian novelist was diagnosed with breast cancer. She finished radiation therapy in August, just as the TV adaptation of her eighth novel, Nine Perfect Strangers, was about to premiere. “It was a very emotional, relief-filled, special moment,” says the author. The series, starring Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy – whom Moriarty personally suggested for the roles of Masha and Frances respectively – and filmed on location in Byron Bay, set a record for the most-watched Hulu original series when it premiered.
“I take pride in the fact that all my novels are set in Australia, and that readers from all around the world seem to enjoy the ‘Australianisms’ in my writing,” Moriarty adds. “I also love meeting readers and hearing about what my books have meant to them. They are easy reads, so often are a distraction for people during difficult times. That means a lot to me.”
Hope for 2022: “Progress on women’s rights – especially in places where hard-won rights have been lost, like racial inequality and climate change.” AC
Melanie Perkins, CEO, Canva
Melanie Perkins, co-founder and CEO of design platform Canva, describes the company’s mission as a “simple” two-step plan. Step one is to build one of the world’s most valuable companies. With her co-founders
