Being told she was 'too pretty to be Aboriginal' as a child is a comment that has stayed with proud Wadjanbarra Yidinji and African-American woman Sasha Sarago for her entire life.

While she went on to work as a model, magazine editor, documentary maker and now an author, she wants to bring about change in the world around her.

Ms Sarago gave a powerful TEDxSydney talk about decolonising beauty in 2020 based on her experiences, admitting she was frustrated by the invisibility of multicultural women in fashion and media.

In the talk, she shared how she reclaimed her femininity by redefining beauty and challenged modern-day concepts of beauty from a First Nations' perspective.

She has also worked to raise awareness around culture, diversity and equity in the business, media and lifestyle sectors.

"My relationship with the beauty and fashion industry has evolved and I'm looking at how to take more control over the narrative in an industry that's heavily dominated by western leadership and forging a pathway for Indigenous women to define themselves in the broader beauty landscape," Ms Sarago said.

Ms Sarago has also launched a book this year, Gigorou, which means 'beautiful' in her grandmother's language, Jirrbal.

The memoir retraces her footsteps as a beauty assistant, model and magazine editor to where beauty began over 60,000 years ago.

It is through the voices of her matriarchs, the creation stories of Oolana, The First Rainbow and Majal, and the spirit of Barangaroo, Truganini and Patyegarang that her healing begins and authenticity arrives.

Gigorou explores the interconnectedness of Aboriginal culture to resolve our relationship with beauty.

She said being able to tell her story through the lens of a black woman's perspective has been an absolute honour.

The Black Lives Matter movement has created a shift in understanding and opportunity for Indigenous people, with more opportunities for First Nations authors and speakers, she said.

The book is aimed at socially conscious people aged 25 to 65. She describes the text as a love letter to black women, which Ms Sarago admits she always wanted to read growing up.

"The book has been about establishing new conversations and illustrating black determination and beauty," Ms Sarago said.

I've worked to encapsulate all the bits that I've obtained along the way in my journey and hope that its helps others define themselves and also to understand others.

"I'm really trying to encapsulate all the wisdom I've obtained and what I've been exposed to now and pass that on to the next generation so that others can start to think about how people's roles as First Nations people are changing and evolving and what that means for us all."

She has also launched a line of apparel to celebrate her love of culture and Indigenous history with her mother, which is available here.