Tim Lo Surdo

Tim is the Founder and former National Director of Democracy in Colour - Australia's first racial and economic justice organisation led by people of colour. Deeply passionate about people-powered change, Tim has spent the past 13 years creating opportunities for everyday people to take collective action. Before starting Democracy in Colour, he worked with low-paid workers to co-found Hospo Voice - a new union in hospitality. Previously, Tim was the Head of Campaigns at Oaktree (largest youth-focused anti-poverty organisation with over 200,000 members), a senior adviser to two federal Senators, the Campaigns Director at Jhatkaa (a movement of 1.9 million people taking action for a fairer India), the National Communications Director at UN Youth Australia, and co-founded Open Sky (one of India’s most well-known performance art communities). He has worked on nine national and state election campaigns, and countless issue campaigns covering everything from climate change, environmental justice and international development to labour rights, digital rights and racial justice. Tim has served on 12 non-profit boards and is currently a Director of Plan International Australia, No to Violence, the Australian Marine Conservation Society, Environment Victoria, the Alliance for Gambling Reform, and Inner Melbourne Community Legal. For his work, Tim was appointed in 2020 as one of 17 UN Young Leaders for the Sustainable Development Goals.