An Ally in Action: Sara Miner shares her commitment to serving DEIA initiatives in Zimbabwe
Based in Zimbabwe, Sara Miner, a Senior Strategic Information Advisor with GHTASC, remembers the impact her Benin Peace Corps placement had on her. After earning a master’s degree in public health, Sara returned to West Africa in 2012 as an operations manager and went on to serve as deputy chief of party for a regional project that spanned Ghana, Niger, and Burkina Faso. She soon found herself directly supporting USAID Missions in Madagascar, Zambia, and through her current role in Zimbabwe. “Owing to the diversity of positions I’ve held over the years, my true expertise now lies in making connections across a variety of domains to strengthen the design, management, and MERL of USAID global health programs,” Sara explains.
In 2022, driven by a commitment to amplify the voices of her Zimbabwean colleagues at the U.S. Embassy in Harare, Sara joined its DEIA council, eventually taking on the position of American co-chair following encouragement from a coworker. She has been involved in coordinating a variety of events, including culturally rich sports game exchanges between Zimbabwean and American colleagues, concerts by local musicians representing disabled communities, and discussion groups on a wide range of DEIA topics. Sara’s commitment extends to supporting local recruitment initiatives, ensuring open positions are prominently advertised to attract diverse talent from communities across the country, thus diminishing the reliance on personal networks.
What do you wish people better understood about DEIA in the workplace?
Many of us identify with one or more historically marginalized or oppressed groups. Simultaneously, every one of us has some privilege—whether that is the color of our skin, our socio-economic status, belonging to a religious majority, our sexuality or gender identity, our health or ability, our national origin, or some other characteristic. Both can be true at once. Our oppression does not erase our privilege. In areas where you are privileged, I challenge you to support your oppressed colleagues. If you are hearing, learn American Sign Language. If you are cis-gendered, share your pronouns. If you are atheist or Christian, schedule important meetings around colleagues’ religious observances. If you are white, or a man, disclose your salary with your colleagues in support of pay equality. Every one of us has something to contribute to furthering DEIA in the workplace.
How does your identity inform your work?
I recognize that as a white woman, especially a white American woman working on the African continent, I am part of a privileged majority in the global health field. I am still learning to listen before I speak, to ensure that my local colleagues are at the front and center of work in their countries, and to speak up to amplify the voices of communities that may otherwise be unheard or ignored. The last has been an exercise in personal and professional development for me; it can be uncomfortable to speak truth to power. When I hesitate, I remind myself, “If not me, who?”.
I also identify as a mother of differently wired kids, and a kid with food allergies. The experience of parenting children with different needs has opened my eyes
to how our physical workplaces, schools, and public spaces—and our societal norms—are designed around neurotypical, non-disabled people. This knowledge has helped me to create more inclusive, accessible spaces (physical and metaphorical) when working with colleagues with visible or invisible disabilities.
What resources do you recommend for expanding our understanding of DEIA?
- I highly recommend USAID’s RISE training series, which is available in USAID University and covers most of the DEIA basics.
- I loved the New York Times’ multimedia series on disabilities from 2022:
- For more information on gender diversity in Zimbabwe, check out the Purple Royale podcast, which examines the experience of transgendered Zimbabweans. And identify your own unconscious biases using this very cool tool developed by Harvard.
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Employees working on GHTASC support a wide range of health programs through USAID's Bureau for Global Health. From early career program assistants to senior advisors, learn about the varied roles, career paths, and day-to-day activities of our employees.