About

Hello! My name is Diandra and I’m a community-based researcher, writer and economic developer.

I live on unceded Wet’suwet’en territories in Northern British Columbia. My work focuses on equity-informed innovation, policy and practice change, and thriving local economies.


Expertise

Research

I am a proficient and thorough researcher with interests in decolonial and anti-racist methodologies. I am interested in diverse ways of gathering data and understanding lived experiences in rural and northern communities

Economic Development

I am motivated by complicated fundraising and entrepreneurial projects and am dedicated to creating opportunities for business growth in northern communities.

Theory

I’m always interested in how local, community-based experiences and opinions can influence how and why we think about the world. My research advocacy focuses on impacting and shifting dominant theories in economics and the social sciences.

Community Organizing

I have a deep skill base in grant writing, fundraising, developmental governance, strategic planning, event coordination, staff hiring, group training and facilitation.


Selected Projects

Check out my professional profile on LinkedIn here.

Fat Mountaineering

2019-Present

Organizes typically inaccessible events for fat and plus-size identified folks in the outdoor industry. 2020 partners include Women Who Hike and the Alpine Club of Canada.

SFU Geography

2016 – Present

I am a PhD Candidate in Geography working on research and writing that examines young people’s experiences and opinions of capitalism in British Columbia. This research is funded by SSHRC.

Sprout Kitchen Regional Food Hub + Business Incubator

2019-2020

Developed implementation plan and business case for regional food hub in Quesnel, BC.

Home Sweet Home Economic Project

2012-2016

Based in Prince George, BC HSH modelled economic opportunities in the region’s agricultural community. This included a downtown storefront grocery, cafe, the region’s first online grocery ordering platform and a traveling field school funded by SFU and the Ministry of Agriculture.


Selected Media

Explore Magazine

LINK – 2020

Plus-size gear guide of must-haves for fat backpackers.

Alpine Club of Canada

LINK – 2020

Essay for ACC dispatch: “Plus-size mountaineering answers call for body inclusive backcountry camps.”

Glamour Magazine

LINK – 2019

Interviewed for article about The Curvy Kili Crew who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro for International Women’s Day 2019.

She Explores Podcast

LINK – 2019

Co-produced and interviewed for podcast about The Curvy Kili Crew (episode 108).

Pop This! Podcast

LINK – 2019

Guest on podcast to talk about diverse outdoors, Cheryl Strayd’s Wild, and The Curvy Kili Crew


Selected Writing

We’re Number Fat: Reflections on Fast-Pitch with the Heavy Hitters

with Layla Cameron

Forthcoming, Fat Studies Journal, 2020

Acadammit Podcast

with The Place + Space Collective

Co-produced and edited a 5 episode podcast series. LINK. Society & Space, 2020

Comedy’s Double Killjoy: The Social Reproduction of Workplace Safety in Comedy

with Madison Trusolino

Forthcoming, Spectre, 2020

Can you hear what I hear? Sounds of Gatekeeping in Outdoor Culture

Conference Presentation

North American Association for the Society of Sport Conference, 2018

Let’s make something together.