Culture Spring

Nahshon Neru (Project Lead)

Nahshon, or Nahsh (he/him), is the incredible Project Lead for Culture Spring. He coordinates the unit as a whole, works on the development of the business and systems internally, and connects with key partners to help deliver the future we are trying to build.

Nahsh has a long background in community and creative projects, is a graphic designer, and an absolute fiend for basketball. Born in Samoa and growing up in Aotearoa New Zealand, he is incredibly passionate about creating systems of change for multicultural young people, and making them realise how powerful, beautiful, and meaningful they are to the communities they come from and the communities they find.

Rosie Thyer (Co-Chair)

Rosie (she/her) is a university student, studying a Bachelor of Law (Honours) and Global Studies. Rosie identifies as a Vietnamese and South-East European person and acknowledges that her upbringing in Melbourne has allowed her to make use of the opportunities available and use her privilege for change. She believes that the Culture Spring’s work  has the ability to enforce structural change, whilst striving to place multicultural young people at the forefront of decision making processes.

Rosie has extensive experience working in Local Council Groups advocating for change, in academic settings and in the wider community. She works for the Victorian Multicultural Commission in their Multicultural Youth Network, whilst also advocating for ethical engagement in other community platforms.

She is passionate about her studies and hopes to incorporate social justice and human rights with the law. Since being part of Culture Spring, Rosie has been exposed to the barriers and motivations that come with working in the sector and hopes to continue to learn as the youth-led unit develops.

Thomas Feng (Co-Chair)

Thomas Feng 冯子晋 (he/him) is a Chinese-Australian writer, advocate and photographer who has been on the Culture Spring Committee of Management since August 2022.

Professionally, he works as Media and Communications Manager for Human Rights Law Centre, with extensive communications, strategy, media and community engagement experience which focuses on translating complex issues into compelling campaigns, particularly to improve diverse and marginalised communities.

Thomas previously led high-performing, creative teams at Youth Affairs Council Victoria and Road to Refuge, centring lived experience and using advocacy on a number of issues, including the reinstatement for a Federal Minister for Youth, more COVID-19 support for young people, raising the age of criminal responsibility, and building stronger social connection between people seeking asylum and communities.

Thomas has been heavily involved in the youth sector for a decade, and is passionate about making spaces where young people can expand their realm of possibilities.

Thomas holds a Bachelor of Commerce from The University of Melbourne, and was a 2021 Centre for Australian Progress Fellow.

Emily Unity

Emily Unity is a lived and living experience professional who is passionate about advocating for the human rights of all people, regardless of background, identity, or intersectionality.

Emily is currently the Lived Experience Lead for the Royal Children’s Hospital, on the Committees of Management for VMIAC (State Consumer Peak) and Centre for Multicultural Youth, on the boards for Midsumma and Intertwine, and advisory committees for UNICEF, Headspace, Beyond Blue, CYDA, Orygen, and more.

For their work, Emily was recently awarded Mental Health Advocate of the Year, Youth of the Year, Disability Leadership Award, Innovation in Protecting Children Award, Children and Youth Empowerment Award, Community Leadership Award, 25 Under 25, 30 Under 30, and inducted in the first cohort of the Multicultural Honor Roll.

Emily grounds their work in their intersectional experiences of mental health, disability, LGBTQIA+, homelessness, neurodiversity, and being a young carer from a refugee and migrant background.

Kevin Kapeke

Kevin works as the Engagement Coordinator, Young People at VicHealth. He sits within the CEO’s office and in close partnership with all teams across VicHealth. He is responsible for coordinating and managing VicHealth’s partnerships with youth organisations, as well as supporting the integration of voices, lived experience and diverse perspectives of young people across Victoria into the work of VicHealth. Kevin also serves on the Africa Day Australia, Zimbabwean Community, and YMCA boards.

Krushnadevsinh (Kano) Ravalji

Krushnadevsinh (Kano) Ravalji is the founder of Third Culture Australia and an award-winning speaker, consultant, and trainer. Kano works with young people, multicultural communities and organisations to promote inclusion, equity and leadership.

Kano led a project with the North Melbourne Football Club – The Huddle, to encourage multicultural people to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations and has conducted research with the Australian National University and UNICEF into the experiences of young people with institutionalised racism. Kano is a member of the Western Metropolitan Partnership and previously worked in the Access and Inclusion team at the Victorian Electoral Commission, increasing the CALD community’s participation in the democratic process over three elections. These organisations enable Kano to broaden his engagement with the community, and allow him to advise policy-making that is culturally appropriate, inclusive and helps organisations become more culturally responsive. He shares his common migration experience to empower others to own their stories and be confident in their identities.

Safar Ibrahimi

Safar Ibrahimi, Afghan/Hazara/Australian person, is a Democracy Ambassador (DA) who helps Multicultural Communities better their understanding about elections and democracy. It is his belief to ensure voting is inclusive and easily understood for all.

In the past 6 years, Safar has been working as a community consultant, recruiter and program developer across public and not for profit, and most recently has been working as stakeholder’s consultant engagement where he focuses on building new partnerships with employer and community stakeholders, to create employment opportunities to meet the needs of jobseekers, businesses, and the local communities.

Safar has a driving passion for social justice but on the side, also enjoys reading and playing sport.