Introducing Sarah Danks: RAVEN’s New Communications Specialist
We are excited to introduce you to Sarah Danks, RAVEN’s new Communications Specialist. Sarah is a settler of English, French, Welsh, Scottish, and Irish descent (she jokes about always needing to apply sunscreen) who grew up on the traditional territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples (colonially known as Victoria, BC). She has a BSc in Psychology with a Minor in Professional Communications from the University of Victoria and a Master’s in Communication from Carleton University. Sarah started working right out of high school for a local social justice, climate justice, and human rights nonprofit called VIDEA, and her work in fundraising and communications greatly informed her education and the person she is today.
Sarah started this past summer and we are glad to finally have the opportunity to sit down, chat, and share more about her with our community. Read on to learn more about why working at RAVEN was an obvious choice for Sarah, what Indigenous sovereignty means to her, and how people are at the centre of everything she does.
What drew you to working with RAVEN?
I have worked in the nonprofit sector for over seven years, specifically in social justice, and it was important to me to work somewhere that aligns with my values. I was already familiar with RAVEN because the last nonprofit I worked for, VIDEA, ran in similar circles of Indigenous rights, education, and climate justice. For me, respecting Indigenous rights and title, caring about climate justice, and resisting capitalist and colonial systems had to be a given – something to build on. I wanted to be working with like-minded individuals and communities to make impactful change. RAVEN has demonstrated again and again that they are doing that work, connecting with communities, and listening to Indigenous Peoples who know how to best steward the land. I wanted to be a part of that.
What is your favorite part of the job so far?
Getting to connect with the RAVEN community. Whether through our newsletter, over email, on the phone, or in person at events, I love getting to talk with our supporters – they really are the beating heart of RAVEN. Our community is so interesting and passionate, many people have been involved in Indigenous rights and environmental justice for decades, and they have so much to share and give. I am quite chatty, so I can never pass up the opportunity to talk with supporters about RAVEN’s work, how they show up, and the causes they care about that often intersect with the work we do.
What does Indigenous sovereignty mean to you or look like to you?
It means listening to Indigenous people, taking concrete actions to put decision-making power back in their communities, and giving land back. Indigenous Peoples are climate experts – they know how to protect, care for, and be in relation with the land – which benefits all of us. And even if it didn’t, I believe in Indigenous sovereignty and land back because this land is stolen. It’s the bare minimum and the right thing to do.
What makes you feel connected to the land or water? Do you have any practices that keep you grounded in the natural world?
I am an island girl through and through in that I love and need to be by the ocean. I miss the water if I haven’t seen it for a while. I love going for walks by the ocean and taking big deep breaths of the salty air. The lull of the waves is so calming and grounding to me. I also enjoy being on or in the water. I like paddle boarding and swimming and try to do both multiple times a year. Being outside in general and reconnecting feels good and helps remind me why I do the work I do: for nature, for animals, and for the people on this planet.
How would your friends describe your interests?
My friends would say that I love being outdoors and being active. I played soccer for many years, and I still love moving my body by going on hikes, swimming, paddle boarding, working out, or walking. Something most people wouldn’t guess about me – that my friends are very aware of – is that I love sports. Hockey, soccer, football, you name it. I love watching sports, learning sports, reading about sports, and writing about sports (for her Master’s, Sarah wrote about how we measure and value NFL players’ labor). I think they would also say that I am very community-oriented and that I care a lot about people, whether I know them or not, and deeply believe that everyone should be safe, comfortable, and have their needs met. They would say I love cooking, especially for others. Feeding people is my love language and I will spend hours making elaborate meals. I think my friends would also emphasize how much I love meeting new people. Getting to connect with people over shared interests makes my heart sing and I can’t count the number of times my friends have teased me about strangers starting conversations with me at bus stops, in cafes, at markets, out and about, etc. I find humans so interesting!
What’s something that brought you joy in the last year?
Honestly, spending time with friends. I feel incredibly lucky to have such smart, interesting, caring, thoughtful, and fun people in my life, and spending any amount of time with them brings me joy. Some I get to see weekly and others maybe a few times a year, but all of their friendship sustains me and makes me believe in a future where everyone gets to experience such easy joy and love.
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