BHM 2026 – Interview with Sandra Muchekeza

For the third year, our digital campaign highlights Black changemakers, innovators and disruptors in Canadian international cooperation. Throughout February, we are profiling leaders whose achievements, challenges and perspectives are transforming the sector and advancing equity, inclusion and justice.

This week, we invite you to meet Sandra Muchekeza, Executive Director, Alberta Council for Global Cooperation

Why did you decide to work in international cooperation and what have been some career highlights?

I was born and raised in Kenya, and that experience has deeply shaped how I see the world and my place in it. Growing up, I witnessed both the strength of community and the realities of inequality. From an early age, I had deep questions around justice and equity and as I grew older, I became aware that global decisions made far from home could have very real impacts on people’s everyday lives. That understanding stayed with me and continues to inform why I do this work.

International cooperation felt like a natural path. For me, it is a way to engage with the systems, histories, and power dynamics that connect the Global South and the Global North. It gave me a language and a space to connect my lived experience with action, and to work toward approaches that centre dignity, partnership, and community leadership rather than charity or saviourism.

Some of my career highlights include working alongside community and diaspora led organizations and now, supporting public engagement that helps people connect global issues to local realities, and building spaces for learning and dialogue across differences. Working through the Inter-Council Network (ICN) has been particularly meaningful, as it has allowed me to collaborate with colleagues across the country, contribute to national conversations on equity and public engagement, and strengthen coordination and shared learning across the sector. Serving as Executive Director of the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation has also been a real privilege where I get to lead a provincial network that supports members in the work they do locally and in the Global South.

What experiences have influenced your career as a Black person in the international cooperation sector?

As an African Black woman, I bring perspectives to this work that are shaped by lived experience, not just theory or policy. Having deep roots in the Global South means I often see development through a different lens — one that recognizes the strengths, agency, and leadership that exist within communities, as well as the historical and structural forces that have shaped current realities. It has made me more attuned to questions of power, representation, and whose knowledge is considered legitimate in development spaces.

At the same time, living and working in the Global North while remaining deeply connected to the Global South comes with its own tensions. I often find myself navigating two worlds — translating realities across contexts, challenging assumptions, and at times feeling the weight of expectations from both sides. There is a constant balancing act between belonging and otherness, between being seen as an “insider” and an “outsider,” depending on the space I am in.

These experiences have not always been easy. Not only have they given me clarity and conviction, but they have deeply influenced how I lead and how I show up in this sector. They have reinforced my commitment to opening doors for others — particularly young Black and racialized leaders who are coming up behind me — so they can see themselves reflected in this work and know that their perspectives matter.

In the face of shrinking civic space and the silencing of marginalized and disenfranchised people, what are your hopes for the future, and what advice would you give to those seeking to work in international cooperation as change-makers, advocates or allies?

While there is no denying that the sector is facing real challenges, I think it is important to recognize how much progress has already been made. Conversations around equity, anti-racism, localization, and inclusive leadership are far more visible and substantive than they were even a decade ago. Even though the current setbacks are deeply concerning, we must not be discouraged from continuing this work.

My hope is that this moment pushes us to be more intentional and adaptive. The landscape is changing, and that requires us to rethink not just what we do, but how we do it. It calls for shifts in mindset — moving away from rigid models and comfort zones toward approaches that are more responsive and collaborative. This is an opportunity for the sector to deepen partnerships, genuinely shift power, and to amplify marginalized and disenfranchised voices even louder.

For those looking to work in international cooperation, my advice is to stay anchored in purpose and in your values but remain open to change because change is here and there is more change to come. Be willing to learn and unlearn and relearn, to listen deeply, and to challenge systems including the ones you are part of. Progress is rarely linear, and moments like this test our resolve. But if we remain committed to justice, solidarity, and humility, this work will continue to matter — and to make a difference.