Who is Sara Omi Casamá

Sara Omi Casamá is a Panamanian indigenous leader, lawyer and human rights defender, recognized for her work promoting the leadership, autonomy and dignity of indigenous peoples, especially women.

He was born on August 30, 1986 in the community of Ipetí Emberá, in Alto Bayano, a territory deeply connected to nature, tradition and ancient wisdom. From a very young age, his life was marked by a double consciousness: pride in his cultural identity and clear evidence of the structural inequalities faced by indigenous communities.

Trained in Law and Political Science, Sara complemented her education with studies in human rights, indigenous leadership and international cooperation, both in Panama and abroad. This academic base allowed him to move freely between two worlds: that of modern institutional structures and that of the traditional forms of organization of his people. He didn't choose one over the other; he decided to build bridges.

Throughout his career, he has held key roles in national and international organizations. She was President of the Emberá General Congress of Alto Bayano, becoming one of the first young women to lead this traditional structure. She has also worked with entities such as UN Women, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and UNICEF, focusing on issues of indigenous rights, gender equity and sustainable development. Her voice has been present at global forums, including conferences on climate change and human rights, where she has represented the perspective of indigenous peoples with clarity and strength.

However, beyond the charges, what defines Sara Omi is her vision. She understands that the problem is not the lack of talent or cultural wealth in indigenous communities, but rather the absence of systems to convert that value into real opportunities. For this reason, he has dedicated a large part of his work to promoting models that integrate cultural identity with economic development, always based on a non-extractive and profoundly respectful logic.

In 2017 he founded the venture Jumara Juwa, which means “the hands of all”, an initiative that combines cultural tourism and the commercialization of handicrafts, creating income while strengthening cultural pride. This project is a reflection of their approach: to generate economic well-being without sacrificing identity.

Today, that thinking evolves in the Sara Omi Foundation, a platform that seeks to build infrastructure for the sovereign participation of indigenous women in the economy and decision-making spaces.

It's not about assistance, it's about agency. Not of forced integration, but of co-creation.

Sara has been recognized for her impact at the regional level, including her inclusion in the list of the 100 most powerful women in Central America by Forbes, and multiple awards for her leadership and defense of indigenous rights.

But perhaps his most important achievement is not in the awards, but in what he represents: a new generation of indigenous leadership. A generation that does not ask for permission, that does not negotiate its identity, and that understands that the future is not choosing between tradition or progress, but designing a path where both coexist with dignity.

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