Miriam was a school teacher with a Master’s degree in Education, focused in Public Administration and specialising in Home Economics and History, when she arrived in SA in 1981. Since joining the MCCSA in 1983, she has progressed to become Chairperson in 2015. She is also currently serving as Deputy Chair of the Federation of Ethnic Community Councils of Australia, the national peak advocate body for multicultural communities.
As SA’s 600th skilled migrant from the Philippines, Miriam witnessed the Filipino community grow from a small group to more than 17,000 individuals.
“At first I felt homesick and looked for opportunities to meet people and contribute to society by volunteering to make a difference in people’s lives,” she said. Her journey in volunteering began just two days after settling in southern Adelaide, when she walked into a charity shop displaying a “Volunteers Needed” sign. This early experience sparked a lifelong commitment to community service. Her volunteering expanded across various organisations, encompassing fundraising, mentoring migrant women to find jobs and appropriate housing, and supporting and protecting women and children affected by domestic violence.
Throughout her career, Miriam has served on numerous boards and committees as a multicultural advocate in education, healthcare (access to health service, palliative and mental health) and aged care. As the first culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) Ambassador of Carers SA, she was asked to join the Ministerial Carers Reference Group and advocated for the enactment of the Carers Bill, which became the Carers Recognition Act in SA.
Her professional career spans teaching, lecturing, community development, case and project management in education, settlement, domestic violence, and aged care. Her connection to the Filipino community remains strong as broadcaster at 5EBI and language teacher, while for over 11 years she has served on the Board of the Australian Foundation for Learning in Philippines, supporting over 21,000 disadvantaged students through programs including scholarships, literacy, digital learning, outdoor learning, and health and nutrition.
As Chair of the MCCSA Women’s Council, Miriam initiated the Women Leadership Training program, initially funded by Multicultural SA. She successfully lobbied the Office for Women to expand the training into a university pathway course. This program is now offered free to culturally diverse women at TAFE, funded by the Minister of Multicultural Affairs.
Miriam advocates for equitable access to resources and appropriate services for both emerging and established multicultural communities. “Advocacy is only part of the MCCSA role – the organisation supports multicultural communities to become productive citizens in their new home,” she said.
Through her early involvement with MCCSA, Miriam learned to navigate local systems and integrate into South Australian life. She now draws on these experiences to help other migrants establish themselves in the community.
“MCCSA is professionally equipped, maintains strong connections to ethnic communities and continues to grow in its service delivery and community support,” she says. “Our Gilbert Street premises serves as a hub for communities lacking formal infrastructure. This shared space enables different cultural groups to connect naturally, fostering greater intercultural understanding.”
Miriam’s guiding philosophy remains clear: “Success is not measured by salaries, bank accounts, houses, or cars, but by the quality of our relationships and our service to mankind.”
