In 1985, a group of passionate and brave Darwinites came together to create the very first Darwin Pride – celebrating the Top End’s diverse LGBTQIA+ communities.
The Top End Pride committee strives to uphold those values more than three decades later. We advocate for LGBTQIA+ Territorians who require assistance, we lobby for funding to improve the lives of our queer siblings, we provide education and resources for those with queer loved ones, and we organise Darwin Pride to normalise queer representation and ensure the Top End is a safe place for all.
Top End Pride is run by volunteers who are passionate about embracing difference in every sense. We meet on a regular basis to plan events and to work closely with local government bodies to ensure our community's voices are heard.
We are grateful and humbled to work on Larrakia land and pay our respects to Larrakia elders past and present. We also acknowledge our queer elders who have created spaces to enable us to do our work and effect positive change.
2023 COMMITTEE
Chair
Deputy Chair
Deputy Chair
Dr Sean Taylor (he/him)
Sean Taylor is a descendent of the Dauareb Tribe of Mer Island in the Eastern Torres Strait region, and has over 20 years of clinical experience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health. He currently holds joint appointments as Executive Director for Aboriginal Health and Diversity at NT Health, Deputy Director for Indigenous Leadership and Engagement at Menzies School of Health Research, and Associate Professor for Public Health and Tropical Medicine at James Cook University. Sean is the current Chair of the NT Health, Top End, Big River and East Arnhem LGBTQIA+ Committee and chairs other committees locally and nationally. He is president elect for the Rotary Darwin Sunrise, a founding board member for Torres Indigenous Health and a co-investigator on multiple successful nationally competitive grants.
Deputy Chair
Deputy Chair
Deputy Chair
David Toro (he/him)
David has been Vice Chair of Top End Pride since 2022. He is a healthcare worker practising at Royal Darwin Hospital and an active member of the Top End Health Service LGBTQIA+ Committee. He is currently steering a national conference to address the health challenges of LGBTQIA+ folks living in rural and remote Australia. In his spare time, you’ll find him with his cat Michael, planning his next holiday, or napping.
Treasurer
Deputy Chair
Treasurer
Darcy Godden (he/him)
Darcy is a proud descendant of the Kamilaroi and Wonnarua Aboriginal peoples, he places a high value on community and Country, striving to strengthen programs and services to meet community needs. Darcy is a highly skilled and experienced management professional in the health sector and is appointed as the Executive Manager of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health with the NT Primary Health Network. With a background in strategic leadership and a proven track record of growing and developing Aboriginal community-controlled organisations, Darcy is a respected executive and not-for-profit leader. He holds several post-graduate degrees, including an MBA, and is an experienced lead auditor across both national and international standards.
Secretary
Marketing Director
Treasurer
Bec Garcia (she/her)
Bec moved to the Top End eight years ago and currently lives in Darwin with her wife and their Kelpie/Collie. Bec is a first generation Australian and believes representation is important, saying: “If you see someone who looks like you being a part of change, it not only gives you hope but it also motivates you to be a part of that change, too.” She has experienced feeling dispositioned and excluded, and this drives her to create and contribute towards inclusive spaces.
Marketing Director
Marketing Director
Marketing Director
Drew Tweddle (he/him)
Drew has held roles at creative and advertising agencies both in Australia and his home country of the UK for over a decade. As Top End Pride’s brand guardian, Drew is responsible for ensuring all comms promote our values with impact.
General Member
Marketing Director
Marketing Director
Leigh Hill (he/him)
Leigh has lived in Darwin since 2015. He’s passionate about intersectionality, striving for inclusion and equity. When not working as a nurse, you’ll find him walking his puggle Zara or practising yoga.