About me
Photo (c) Manuela Maiulini
I am a Colombian-American storyteller. I grew up in various countries and have lived and worked with people in many corners of the world. Moving between cultures, I have always seen people as people – we all share a need to be loved, appreciated, and inspired.
With a father in the United Nations and a mother working as an anthropologist with indigenous peoples in the Amazon, I was taught to respect other cultures and perspectives from a young age. I also grew up with an awareness of the inequities and power imbalances in international development, anthropology, and in the world around me in general - it made me uncomfortable. This discomfort has fueled my passion to work towards a more compassionate and just world.
When I was a kid, If you asked me what I wanted to be I would have told you “an artist”, because creating art made me happy. I also knew that whatever I did for a living had to be something that would make the world a better place. I decided to pursue public health because it felt like a tangible way to make a difference. Throughout my career I found ways to incorporate art in the form of storytelling, photography, and writing. I realized that the intersection of art and public health was where I was meant to be.
With a master’s in Maternal and Child Health from UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and more than 20 years’ experience in global health (focused mainly on sexual and reproductive health) my work has taken me all over the world, from Bangladesh to Kenya to Mexico.
I have seen the power of stories and images to change minds when it seemed like nothing else could. I have watched people’s eyes light up when given a camera to capture their world. I have seen the moment when a grant maker finally understood the true essence of the great work they were supporting with their funds after seeing the projects documented in a new way.
Whether documenting the devastating impact of the abortion ban in Nicaragua, the importance of linking migrant farmworkers with quality healthcare in rural North Carolina, or the life-changing impact of childcare for poor families in India, I am happiest when using creative strategies for positive social change.
I bring my love for stories, informed by my lived experience and lessons learned along the way, to support organizations in incorporating participatory and ethical storytelling to enhance impact, meaningfully engage with communities and shift the narratives that perpetuate injustice.
What People Are Saying
“
Sara Gomez is an absolute joy to work with. First some adjectives about Sara: creative, compassionate, calm, nuanced, organized, and culturally competent. She is a superb writer, seemingly effortlessly, and has a deep understanding of how to communicate with visual media. She is a fast learner and leads and takes the initiative in a team situation in a calm, friendly way and always has good ideas.
Writing about a higher education institution in a remote area of the Democratic Republic of Congo requires, among other things, someone with a thoroughly international outlook and a deep understanding of life in another country, as well as creative use of photos and reports to convey the uniqueness and importance of the college and its students. I have worked with a number of people on communications about Djolu Technical College over the years, but none have been as qualified as Sara.
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— Dr. Ingrid Schulze, Founder and Executive Director of Congo Education Partners
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I’m so grateful to have worked with Sara during our photovoice project for a collective of people of color. She was thoughtful and considerate of varying opinions and perspectives. She made sure that our voices and viewpoints were heard and seen throughout our project. She was always one step ahead of us with planning, helping us anticipate potential problems and consider solutions.
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— Lin-Fan Wang, MD MPH, CENTRS Health
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Working with Sara has truly been the best experience working with a consultant in my professional career. Sara is extremely organized, detail-oriented, engaging, thoughtful, creative and always meets deadlines. Her professional expertise has helped guide our project from beginning stages to launching and I look forward to continuing to use Sara's expertise as a consultant in the future.
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— April, MD, CENTRS Health
