DUSTINA HAASE-LANIER
“Working for social justice is not just a job for me—it’s a calling,” says Dustina Haase-Lanier (above right), a Native Alaskan social justice activist who has served her community for over 20 years, fighting against oppression and advocating for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, queer and disabled persons, and for the dignity and rights of plus-sized people. As a survivor herself, Haase-Lanier began her work in this field at the same shelter she once fled to, wanting to share the strength and hope she’d once received with other domestic and sexual violence survivors. Throughout her career she’s held several positions, including Technical Coordinator at the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, Chief of Staff to the CEO of Pride Media, and founder of Access Or Rise, a company that works with organizations on issues related to anti-racism and accessibility. Through her work and lived experiences, Haase-Lanier has found that joy and celebration are crucial to healing, both for herself and the communities she serves. Along with her wife, Jennifer Lanier (with whom she has raised two grown sons), she has created events that focus on joy and celebration. Her ultimate dream is to create long-term systemic change. She believes in advocacy and helping people navigate systems, but also in working for change in those systems to move towards true equality. She’s motivated by her struggles as a queer woman and strives to make the country safer and better for survivors and LGBTQ+ people. “We can all work together to see that queers are not shot in our clubs anymore, women are not beaten by partners anymore, that folks of size and varying ability can find safety and welcome wherever they are,” she insists.
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