John Kamara escaped war torn Sierra Leone as a child and came to Launceston as a refugee at aged 19. Despite the very real challenges of racism and adjusting to a completely new culture and way of life in Australia, he decided to make the best of it and help others like himself who had arrived with traumatic backgrounds or who struggled to understand the Australian system.

Since arriving, he’s tirelessly helped migrant communities in Tasmania.

John Kamara is the  co-founder of the Culturally Diverse Alliance of Tasmania and the African Communities Council of Tasmania, and is Tasmania’s Australian Of the Year for 2023.