It’s no secret 2020 has been a challenging year – bushfires, COVID-19 and the current fight to dispel racial injustices – events that have certainly tested our strength.
It’s safe to say we need a hero.
On that note, we present one-year-old Sammy-Lee Armstrong from Alice Springs, a First Nations baby influencer with the confident energy we all need right about now.
Sammy’s Instagram account, run by her mum Kyah Walker, showcases Sammy’s fierce attitude against the beautiful outback landscape of the Northern Territory.
But there’s one particular image that has captured the hearts of many online, and that’s a recent snap of Sammy’s superwoman pose:
Sammy’s mum said she has been overwhelmed by the reaction to the “iconic” photo, which has become an emblem of hope to many during what has been a long month of protests and activism amid the Black Lives Matter movement in Australia.
“I’ve received hundreds of messages from people about Sammy making them feel strong, it’s nice that she’s a little light in the darkness at this time,” Walker told HuffPost Australia.
“I have to thank everyone for all the love she’s been receiving and I hope Sammy can bring more joy to everyone, especially our people and all of Australia.”
Thousands of people have shared Sammy’s power pose on social media.
“Gorgeous photo, she already has the pose and attitude of a woman of strength. Good work Mumma raising such an amazing daughter,” one person wrote alongside ABC Indigenous’ Facebook post.
“She is the cutest, best, boss baby I’ve ever seen,” an Instagram user commented on the original snap.
“What an old soul, and such deep, deep beauty,” another user wrote.
Sammy, who is part of the Warlpiri, Pertame and Pitjantjatjara mob, is a natural in front of the camera and instinctively embraced her now-famous power stance while posing on a sand hill near the Alice Springs airport.
“It’s amazing how one photo can make people feel so strong - as they should,” said Walker.
“She loves sticking her tongue out too, she’s been like this since she was a small baby.”
So, what’s the secret to raising a strong woman in 2020’s tough climate?
“Teaching her is a main one to raising such a strong girl,” Walker said after telling her Instagram followers that Sammy is learning traditional language from her grandmother.
“The secret would be to have a strong understanding of this world and its goods and bads, an understanding of children as well, the way their minds work and to teach. And lastly to have a loving heart.”