
Nikki Sanchez
Nikki Sanchez holds a Masters degree in Indigenous Governance and is currently completing her Ph.D. on emerging visual media technology as it relates to Indigenous ontology for climate change mitigation strategies.
A Pipil and Irish/Scottish academic, Indigenous media maker and environmental educator, Nikki is a regular panelist on CBC radio’s the Early Edition and in 2021 she was selected as one of the HATCH 100’s influential change makers and collaborators, who cross-pollinate to accelerate solutions for positive impact and to HATCH A Better World.
As the former David Suzuki Foundation’s “Queen of Green” Nikki focused on environmental journalism, social and digital media to help drive sustainable solutions for a healthy planet. She also created content to bring more racial and gender inclusivity into the environmental movement.
Speaking topics
- Decolonizing Diversity: Aligning Values with Actions in the Workplace
Nikki Sanchez, founder of the renowned collective “Decolonize Together,” offers a groundbreaking keynote on transforming workplaces into hubs of diversity, equity, and inclusivity.
Drawing from her extensive experience collaborating with diverse organizations, from the YMCA and Warner Brothers and everyone in between, Sanchez provides a fresh perspective on aligning actions with values to foster thriving cultures and unparalleled success. By weaving together personal anecdotes, empirical evidence, and innovative strategies, Sanchez empowers audiences to embark on a journey towards meaningful change.
This keynote offers a transformative vision for creating workplaces that prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusivity. By embracing decolonial approaches and aligning actions with values, organizations can cultivate cultures of belonging where every individual thrives and contributes to collective success.
Key themes explored include:
- Intersectionality and Representation: Sanchez advocates for recognizing and honoring the intersecting identities within the workforce. She underscores the importance of representation across all levels of the organization, ensuring that diverse perspectives are valued and amplified.
- Cultural Competence and Sensitivity: Emphasizing the significance of cultural humility, Sanchez provides practical insights for cultivating a workplace culture that respects and celebrates diverse backgrounds. From language inclusivity to inclusive practices, she offers tangible strategies for fostering cultural competence.
- Allyship and Solidarity: Sanchez elucidates the transformative power of allyship in advancing equity and inclusivity. By fostering solidarity among colleagues and leaders, she illustrates how individuals can leverage their privilege to uplift marginalized voices and drive systemic change.
- Decolonizing Leadership: Through her own journey as a leader, Sanchez challenges conventional leadership paradigms and advocates for decolonized leadership practices rooted in empathy, collaboration, and accountability. She offers tools and frameworks for cultivating inclusive leadership that fosters trust and empowers teams.
- Measuring Success Beyond Metrics: Moving beyond conventional metrics, Sanchez redefines success in the context of diversity, equity, and inclusivity. She emphasizes the importance of holistic evaluation, including qualitative measures such as employee well-being, sense of belonging, and community impact.
- Wisdom of the Orcas: What Whales & Biodiversity can Teach Us About Thriving in a Changing Environment
In this captivating keynote, Nikki takes audiences on an unforgettable journey, drawing on her experiences from over a decade as an Environmental educator, Wilderness guide and Author.
Inspired from her bestselling anthology, “Spirits of the Coast: Orcas in Science, Art and History” and her work with biologists, historians, Indigenous knowledge keepers, poets, artists, different cultures, generations and knowledge systems, Nikki shares what she discovered is a profound truth: Orcas hold the wisdom we need to reimagine our relationship with the planet.
By seeing the world through their eyes, Nikki uncovered powerful lessons on biodiversity, Indigenous knowledge, and regenerative strategies that can help humanity not just survive the changes to our environment, but rise to meet it—stronger, wiser, and more connected than ever.
Through breathtaking stories and thought-provoking insights, Nikki invites audiences to empower their perspective and take bold action toward a more sustainable, thriving future.
- Climate Solution Allies: Biodiversity blueprint for a beautiful future
In “Biodiversity: Blueprint for a Beautiful Future,” Nikki Sanchez illuminates the intricate web of life on our planet and the invaluable insights it offers for building a sustainable and resilient world. With her tenure at the David Suzuki Foundation and extensive academic research, Nikki seamlessly integrates case studies and scientific findings to showcase the remarkable adaptability of species in the face of climate change.
Through poignant anecdotes and firsthand encounters with wildlife, Nikki shares the profound wisdom she has gleaned from years of intimate interaction with diverse ecosystems. From the majestic Orca whales of the Pacific Northwest to the vibrant coral reefs of the tropics, she highlights the resilience and ingenuity of non-human intelligence in navigating environmental challenges.
In a powerful conclusion, she offers practical and actionable steps that every individual can take to contribute to a hopeful future. From simple lifestyle changes to community activism, she empowers audiences to become agents of positive change in their own lives and communities.
- Everyday Climate Solutions: 10 ways to be a friend to the planet (& yourself)
These days, discouraging news cascades upon us in a seemingly endless cycle. Dire forecasts about everything from impending catastrophic climate change, growing inequity, and racial unrest, to the next unpredictable wave of a global pandemic. It can be very easy to lose hope. Exploring the lessons she attained from over a decade as a wilderness guide in one of the world’s last temperate coastal rainforests, Nikki will share how she tapped into her superpower of resiliency and how this quality lives in us all. Weaving together principles of biodiversity, forest ecology, and trauma-informed practice Nikki shares 10 accessible steps to climate resiliency and inspires audiences to unlock their infinite wells of resiliency to live their best life while riding the waves of these epic times.
Video clips
Speaker testimonials
Nikki was AMAZING. I received so many amazing notes of gratitude for bringing her voice into our space at this time! Nikki delivered exactly the message and presence that I had envisioned last year when the idea of bringing her in for Earth Day! And beyond her keynote, we have begun so many inspiring connections that we continue to take our relationship with Nikki beyond this moment. Overall, this has been such a great experience, and I am so appreciative of your partnership with me through our journey to make this milestone event possible!
VIRTUAL: I am writing to thank you from the bottom of my heart for joining us today and helping us to connect in moving toward personal, courageous and reflective conversations on Intersectionality and the story of Orcas while applying a scholarly anti-racist and decolonial lens on education. The feedback from the participants so far has been full of gratitude and, for my part, I am committed to carrying these conversations forward into future connections with both teachers and the larger community.
Accepting that [colonization] has happened to all of us, from different angles, is a very productive way to look at colonization. I’m a big believer in the way to motivate change, it to try and find people’s commonality, the links we all have to each other, and use that as a glue to get things done. Nikki’s words show that love and communal understanding are the way. I am grateful for Nikki’s teachings.
Nikki’s words are so powerful. I loved listening to her talk and the message she shared. Thank you for being so brave and sharing your wisdom.
I was impressed with her knowledge, charisma and speaking ability. Nikki’s track record is remarkable. Just leafing through it, one gets an indication of her priorities and expertise in Indigenous issues, social justice and environmental matters. In my experience, the crisis we face is that the rules of the political and corporate games prevent us from serious action on the environment. It is Indigenous people all over the planet, who offer a profound alternative to the destructive ‘resourcist’ perspective of most societies. In a time of climate change, toxic pollution, species extinction, ocean degradation and deforestation, we desperately need the perspective that people like Nikki offer us.
What you are saying here gives me goosebumps over my entire body. The trauma that lives in all of us due to government colonization strategies is outstanding. I believe it’s directly linked to nearly all of our biggest issues as a society. I am deeply inspired!
VIRTUAL EVENT: Nikki’s talk was beautiful and so well received and inspiring. We were so honored to have her be a part of this work!
VIRTUAL EVENT: Nikki was fabulous and well received during the culturally responsive education conference. It was a pleasure to have her with us.