A writer and editor at heart, Tara Preissl is RAVEN’s new Development Coordinator. With a background in PR, marketing, and proposal writing, and a certificate in editing from Simon Fraser University, Tara brings a wealth of experience to her new role at RAVEN.
Grounding herself in her identity, Tara’s background is European settler and Stó:lō from Leq’á:mel First Nation. Raised on xʷməθkʷəjˀəm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ territory, Tara refers to herself as a suburban Indigenous person as she spent most of her youth in various Vancouver suburbs before moving abroad and then eventually to Wet’suwet’en territory in 2022.
We spent some time chatting with Tara and she shared what her favorite part of the job is so far, what her connection with the land means to her, and how she finds tiny moments of joy everywhere.
What drew you to working with RAVEN?
“The entire ethos of what RAVEN does – RAVEN’s mission. I knew for a long time that I wanted to work in a role that more closely aligned with my values and who I am as a cis woman, as a mixed Indigenous person, and as a chronically ill person, and I spent a long time searching to make sure that I found the right organization and the right role. RAVEN came out on top. I knew of RAVEN before I joined. When the posting came out, I was like, great, this is who I want to work for.”
What is your favorite part of the job so far?
“I like working with our peer-to-peer fundraisers and talking to our donors. They’re a lovely group of people. I’m inspired by all of the great work that they do themselves. We have groups of people that meet amongst themselves and fundraise. We have people who have birthday parties and fundraise for us and people who put on shows and fundraise through ticket sales. I think that’s awesome.
And I have to say, my co-workers are pretty great, too. Everybody’s been very welcoming and very supportive and good at checking in.”
What does Indigenous sovereignty mean to you or look like to you?
“It means no more hoop jumping and red tape and paperwork. It means the ability to live and exist in a way that centers the land and being in relationship with the land. It means centering community care and reciprocity. Obviously, these are big topics, and I’m still learning about all of them, but the more I am surrounded by people who have the same values as me, the more I realize that what is going on needs to change. I already knew that, but being with people who believe it, too, cemented it. Being around people who believe in a better future shows that there are tiny glimmers of hope that it’s possible.”
What makes you feel connected to the land or water? Do you have any practices that keep you grounded in the natural world?
“For me, the land is integral to my Indigeneity. I wouldn’t be who I am as a Stó:lō person without that piece of connection, and it’s always at the forefront of my mind. It’s why I do what I do in work and in my personal life. One of the practices that my grandma taught us, and it didn’t matter the season, she would always say: go outside and stand on the ground, bare feet preferable to get as close to the earth as possible for that grounding moment. That’s something that I still do. I don’t do it in the depths of winter, because I live in a place where it gets to -30 degrees. But even in October, I’ll be like, “All right, Grandma always said,” and then get out of the house. I’ll just stand there for five minutes till my toes freeze, but it just reminds you to take a moment for yourself. Some people meditate, and that’s not my vibe, but standing outside and thinking about the land – that works for me.”
How would your friends describe your interests?
“They would definitely say that I love being outdoors, hiking, and camping. There’s a joke that I’ll tell you we’re going on a short hike, but it’s actually eight kilometers. That’s my idea of a short hike. I think they would say… I don’t know how to put this because I hate the term “activist.” Sure, people could say that I’m an Indigenous rights activist, but I’m not. I’m just a mixed Indigenous person existing in this world. I don’t have a choice but to fight for the things that my community needs. My friends would say that I’m very active in the things that I believe in and stand up for. The other joke is if you want to go to a protest, call Tara. If there’s something going on, or a community event or initiative, I like to be present.
I think they’d also talk about my love for reading and writing. I write for fun. I write, read, and edit for a lit mag called Room Magazine. I always, always have a book going. I’m currently reading “River Meets the Sea” by Rachael Moorthy. She was my editor for my first-ever published piece of poetry, and we’ve kept in touch online. Rachael made my poetry into something so much better than it should have been, and she still sends me messages if she finds something and thinks of me. She’s my editing Auntie.”
What’s something that brought you joy in the last year?
“Joy is in the little moments. It’s the same way that I feel about community care and generating change in the world. It’s all those little moments that add up. I think that goes the same with joy. I have extreme joy every morning with my favorite cup of tea. I have joy every day that I open my window and I see a little peek of the mountains that I get from my backyard. I have joy when I talk to my sister on the phone. We don’t live in the same city, so that’s always really fun. And as someone who is chronically ill, and had three surgeries in the past year and a half, just the joy of being able to walk out my door and be in the beautiful place that I live.”
