Reproductive Justice and Gender Affirming Care Advocate

Hi there! My name is Zaria and I am so grateful to be joining the South Coast Health Equity Coalition as a Reproductive Justice and Gender Affirming Care Advocate. I am originally from North Carolina and relocated to the southern Oregon coast in the fall of 2022. I am excited to be apart of a team that spreads awareness and inclusion through conscious connection and informed data content while also learning more about the common disparities shared amongst minority groups. In my free time I like to adventure amongst the trees, dabble in arts and crafts, read prehistoric fiction, and sing my little heart out.

Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion Accessibility Advocate

Supporting the voices of Marginalized folks is a passion of mine. I’m originally from a suburb north of Los Angeles. As a Rromani I was fired up by the opportunity to take part in my first student action in solidarity with my fellow Armenian students to get recognition for the Armenian Genocide and have been taking part in various advocacy actions ever since! In college my passion turned to Early Childhood Development. I loved the preschool education model pioneered by Brazilian educator Paulo Freire “Popular Education”, because it centers a people guided and whole person-centered approach to education. This perspective has informed my lens ever since. Teaching stayed a passion, but I shifted to Mindfulness and Meditation practices like radical acts of self-love and approaching ourselves and each other from a space of nonjudgement, acceptance and gratitude. I loved teaching this because I know, for me, it works. I am also a formerly unhoused individual. The ease with which one traumatic event can easily tip us into houselessness in an already overwhelmed system, further fueled my need to be a part of the solution and I lent my voice to the Homeless Workforce Coalition. My time there as well as working in Peer Support in our community has taught me how vital it is for those who are marginalized, those with lived experiences, to have their voices amplified, especially in matters of policy. “Nothing For Us Without Us!”

Social Justice Advocate Intern

Hello, Darus Davis here. I am a Native American from the Menominee Tribe in Wisconsin. I love making music and learning about different cultures. I recently moved to Coos to meet more people and explore the coast!

Director Southern Oregon Coast Pride

Laura moved to Coos County in 2013 with her partner and three cats (there are now 4 cats). In 2015, after a series of community conversations about 2SLGBTQIA+ needs, she co-founded Q & A of Coos County (Queers & Allies) with her friend Beka Young.  Q&A has been meeting each Thursday afternoon ever since.  In 2019, when there was an opportunity to create a community-led Pride celebration, Laura and fellow community members jumped on the chance.  The first Pride-in-the-Park celebration brought in new energy and the decision was made to create a more robust Pride organization for both Coos and Curry counties.  Laura loves her job.  She gets to meet and work alongside amazing community leaders, blast the Indigo Girls in the office, and be a part of impactful community building.  When she is not working, you can find her reading, adoring her cats, jamming out to Indigo Girls, dancing around her living room, or paddling around in the nearest body of water.