A former Ulladulla High School student is preparing to share the voice of the Dharawal Aboriginal people at the National Indigenous Law Conference (NILC) annual conference next month.
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Matilda, 18, is in her first year of studying a double degree of law and arts - majoring in politics - at the University of Sydney.
Following on from the theme of NAIDOC Week - 'Voice. Treaty. Theme. Let's Work Together', she dreams of creating widespread change for both her local community, where she's supported by the local Shoalhaven Country Education Foundation (CEF), and for wider Aboriginal Australia.
"My passion and drive are rooted strongly in a Constitutionally-recognised voice for Aboriginal people, and to be able to address the issues surrounding health, incarceration and education for Australia's ATSI population," she said.
Despite initially being overwhelmed by the prospect of moving from her hometown area of Mollymook Beach to maintain the workload of this double degree, she seems to have settled in well.
Ms Langford works as a university student ambassador and is currently assisting with its Bunga Barrabugu Winter Program (a camp for Year 12 Indigenous students).
She appreciates the financial security and the chance to give back, given she's from a large, single parent family in regional Australia where opportunities to exceed can be rare.
"I really love working for the university because my main role is connecting with high school students, and I know those early connections when I was in high school are the main reason that I'm studying now," she said.
"When I was in high school, I attended three summer camps and one winter camp with USYD and it feels so great to now be on the other side of operations and pay it back in a way."
Ms Langford will be one of two students chose to represent the university at the conference in Darwin on August 13 and 14.
The aspirational student joined the Sydney University Law Society's First Nations sub-committee and was invited to attend the conference by academic adviser to Indigenous law students Jacqueline Mowbray.
"A few weeks later she contacted me and one of the other students who attended the networking evening, Patrick (a fourth year), about the NILC opportunity and said she was hoping to nominate us. And we were accepted."
The conference agenda is set to explore restoring the authority of Indigenous Elders in the criminal justice system, strengthening cultural competency and Indigenous lawyer perspectives of land rights legal frameworks, incarceration, treaty, justice agreements and constitutional reform.
After all that, how does Matilda feel about being the first female Indigenous leader in the nation's top job?
"Prime Minister would be a good gig, but I'll have to wait a few years because I'm not sure that they're ready for me yet," she said with a laugh.
Ms Langford is a recipient of a $4000 national scholarship as part of the University of Sydney and Country Education Foundation of Australia partnership.
