Ben Mitchell, NAIDOC Committee Co-Chair

"Because of my wife, the mother to our 8 children, I can!"

Ben Mitchell from the Meriam and Mualgal peoples of the Eastern and Western Torres Straits, and National NAIDOC Committee Co-Chair gives a moving tribute to his wife of 21 years Marcia Salam. “The trials she’s been through, with Ovarian Cancer and losing our last child. To go through that and raise the rest of our 7 children, she is an inspiration to me. Because of what she is, and who she is I am able to do everything that I can in my life because of her.”

About Ben
Ben is a 4th generation business entrepreneur from the Torres Straits that includes Pearl Diving and Seafood International Exports, Information Technology design, SME National and International business development and support.
Ben is a devoted Christian and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, having served a two year fulltime voluntary mission for the church in Salt Lake City Utah, and continues to volunteer his time and talents with local community based programmes and initiative.
Ben is a community Leader (including co-chair of the National NAIDOC Committee for more than a decade) and currently works for a private Indigenous consultancy firm – “Coolamon Advisors” based out of Canberra.