The 16-year-old took part in state and national UN youth conferences earlier this year, and most recently won the Race Discrimination Commissioner's Student Prize 2017.

The competition aims to promote research and discussion of racism among young people.

Kupakwashe’s winning essay focused on how killing racism with kindness was not the most effective way to combat the issue, and instead called for greater education on race and culture from pre-school age to prevent discrimination.

In her piece, Zimbabwe-born Kupakwashe spoke about racist experiences both she and her family members had experienced.

“Someone is racist to me almost every day,” she said.

“People say comments that they think are not racist, but they are.”

After she was informed of her win Kupakwashe travelled to Sydney to meet Race Discrimination Commissioner, Dr Tim Soutphommasane, who selected her essay as the winner.

Kupakwashe said she was told her essay was very powerful and that she took a great approach to the question.

She said meeting Dr Soutphommasane was an “extremely amazing” experience and that she was over the moon to have won.

Kupakwashe is now preparing to travel to Europe in a few weeks as one of 16 teenagers from around the country selected for the UN Youth Young Diplomats tour.