Cristilee Louttit, Indigenous recruiter

Cristilee Louttit Photo: Craig Ratcliffe

Cristilee Louttit is blazing her own trail, and it’s one that’s inspiring other young Indigenous people.

She’s been an advocate for Indigenous youth for years. What she’s done is staggering — local, state, national and international youth leadership programs; running Queensland’s Young Indigenous Leaders Forum; talking about Indigenous issues at local schools; being a board member of Inala Wangarra and its sports, arts, cultural and community programs; and  serving on the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Day Observance Committee. She was the 2009 Queensland NAIDOC Young person of the year.

Woven into this life is her paid work. Cristilee’s now a specialist recruitment advisor, managing Virgin Australia’s Indigenous employment program that helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to break into the airline industry.

Many people follow her through social media. So often you’ll find posts thanking Cristilee, either for her direct help or just for being an inspiration.

So where did this come from?

Cristilee, whose family originates from the Pitta-Pitta and Maiawali/Kurawali people from West Queensland, says a single event set her course in life. “In 1999, I applied for a Indigenous Youth Leadership Forum held in Cairns and this altered my future direction instantly,” she said.

“I was absolutely inspired by my peers and learned so much about the issues other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people were dealing with in their communities. You know that moment when you think you’re having a tough day and you realise that there are plenty of other people out there having a harder one. This ignited a passion within me to do what I could to support our youth.”

Cristilee, a role model for so many people, has a few of her own.

“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have overcome such adversity and challenge and we are still here, and that makes me proud,” she said. “There’s my amazing mother, Jane, who has struggled her entire life with mental illness but always managed to be kind to others, share everything she has and remind me that I could achieve anything I set my mind to. My great friend Grant Sarra, who saw potential in me, encouraged me and has been my number one supporter for many years. Lastly, there’s my daughter, Amarlee, who has given me strength and made everyday that little bit brighter.”