Sona Smith is a Chicago native and a passionate advocate for reproductive justice in the nonprofit sector. Informed by her lived experience as a Black woman and mother of three, she has dedicated her career to advancing equity and justice.
Sona began her career working with young people in Chicago, who she credits with radicalizing her and guiding her toward the reproductive justice movement. Today, as a Birth Justice Program Officer for the Ms. Foundation for Women, she developed and implements a national birth justice grant making and philanthropic advocacy strategy to support grassroots birth justice organizations with financial and capacity building resources. Through the initiative she has mobilized over $5 million dollars in resources to 66 organizations in 26 states and territories.
Sona’s work is grounded in the wisdom of Audre Lorde’s quote, “there are no single-issue struggles because we do not lead single-issue lives.” She strives to center interconnectedness and intersectionality in everything she does.
Sona is an alumna of several leadership programs, including the inaugural Obama Leaders USA program (2023), Cultivate Women of Color Leadership Cohort, Rockwood Leadership Institute’s Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice Fellowship, and Equity in Philanthropy Fellowship. She holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Concordia University. She is honored to be a part of the Just Economy Institute family and is eager to strengthen her capacity, expand her reach, and deepen her impact.
In her free time, Sona enjoys dance, travel, gardening, and spending time with her partner, friends, and three children. She stands on the shoulders of her ancestors who were also committed to justice and collective liberation. In the face of injustice, she grounds herself in their magic.
