Karla Orellana

2020 was the Year of the Nurse & Midwife. During the global pandemic of 2020, the tireless efforts of our frontline staff and care workers became paramount. Karla is one of nine nurses nominated by our partner, the Queensland Nurses & Midwives Union (QNMU), who have gone above and beyond.

My name is Karla Orellana and I am a Clinical Nurse at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. At the age of 13, my family and I were persecuted out of our home country of Guatemala for advocating for human and workers’ rights during the armed conflict. We became political refugees and came to Australia with the aid of the United Nations Human Rights Commission.

Becoming a nurse gave me the avenue to serve and give back to the Australian community. However, as a nurse, a woman and a proud union member, I have never forgotten my original roots. Additionally, I’ve had the opportunity to realise that we all share a struggle and the only way to make a change is to join this struggle. This has led me to become involved in the union movement, the women’s movement and organisations working for justice and peace in Australia, Latin America and the rest of the world.

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