who i am

i am zara raven.

i am a Mad, Caribbean care worker of Black, Spanish, Lebanese, and Taíno descent. i am a facilitator, a zinester, a transformative justice practitioner, and a somatic coach focused on individual wellness, intimate relationships, and community care. i am also an organizer with the Philly Childcare Collective, working to build intergenerational movements and networks of care for children and young people across Philadelphia.

my work is informed by my lived experiences as a former sex worker, a survivor of state & interpersonal violence, a caregiver, and more than a decade of practice in community based strategies for creating safety without engaging the state.

dancing, crafting, and rollerskating bring me joy. tarot and journaling support me with self-reflection and accountability. Black feminism and a commitment to prison abolition ground me in the here and now. i bring these frameworks and practices into work with folks interested in healing and relationship building in holistic, liberatory ways.

my work has been featured in Truthout, Teen Vogue, Slate, Hustler Magazine, Washington Post, and more.