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Meet Sara Bana

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Background

Councilwoman Sara Bana is an inspiring Oklahoman, devoted mother, dynamic community leader, humanitarian, and passionate civil rights advocate! With a heart full of dedication, Sara embodies the spirit of public service, making it a way of life that shines through in everything she does. Throughout her remarkable journey as an advocate and public servant, she has proven time and again that she stands firm in her commitment to protecting the public interest.

Sara is a child survivor of war, she migrated to the United States with her parents and sister. For an incredible 30 years, Sara has proudly called Oklahoma County her home! Growing up in Del City and graduating with a Diploma of Merit from Del City High School, she attributes her inspiring teachers and civics education for igniting her passion for civic and public service. As a high school student, she eagerly dove into the world of democracy, serving as a page for the Oklahoma House of Representatives and participating in the Oklahoma Close Up Program to witness government in action. She even volunteered at the Election Board, canvassed for local candidates, and organized a political forum to empower her peers with knowledge about political parties and the importance of registering to vote!

After high school, Sara continued her journey at Rose State College and the University of Central Oklahoma, where she studied Liberal Arts, Philosophy, and Political Science. Her enthusiasm for civic engagement never waned as she volunteered for political campaigns, managed educational community events addressing vital issues for Oklahomans, and inspired high school students as a program instructor for the Oklahoma Close Up program!

About 18 years ago, Sara's life took a beautiful turn when she fell in love with Christopher, a U.S. Air Force Veteran from Illinois, while he was stationed at Tinker. Together, they have made their home in Midwest City for the past 16 years, and in 2024, they joyfully welcomed their son into the world!

Professional Legacy

Sara is an empowering force as the executive director of Civic Services Community Advocacy (CSCA), a grassroots agency she passionately founded in 2011 to uplift Oklahomans who have been overlooked by governmental institutions. With her dynamic role as a community organizer, public interest advocate, and policy advisor,  Sara and her agency have provided free assistance to thousands of Oklahomans in crisis over the years in maneuvering government bureaucracies, accessing services and benefits, and securing equity and justice.  Her investigative work and advocacy efforts towards governmental and institutional accountability has resulted in exposing corruption and bringing bad actors to justice. Fueled by the inspiration of President Barack Obama, Sara has transformed her love for service into a vibrant agency that is all about community-driven change, firmly believing that civic service is a moral duty and assistance should always be free for those in need!

In 2014, she co-founded the Ending Violence Everywhere Coalition (EVE), a powerful organization aimed at reducing the rate and culture of violence in Oklahoma, and she even co-hosted the EVE Broadcast on KTLV for three amazing years! Her relentless advocacy has given a voice to victims of various forms of violence, honing her skills as a mediator and conflict resolution expert.

Since 2016, Sara has been the enthusiastic vice-chair of the Police and Community Trust (PACT) Initiative, which she helped conceptualize to foster police accountability and trust. PACT is a coalition of mental health professionals, law enforcement administrators, law makers, and other subject expert advocates working towards police transparency, accountability, and reform. PACT has made incredible strides in advocating for reforms like body cameras, Crisis Intervention Training, De-Escalation policies, Emotional Intelligence Training, and Citizens Review and Oversight bodies for law enforcement agencies across Oklahoma!


 

For nearly 15 years Sara has been monitoring, reporting, and advocating on behalf of Oklahoman’s trapped inside the unconstitutional Oklahoma County Jail. Prior to the Jail Trust taking over operations, management, and financial oversight of the jail Sara was granted access to perform civil rights screens, welfare checks, and legal redress at the facility. She became entrenched in the struggles and injustices against minors being illegally housed at the facility. Sara championed against housing children and youth in what she branded as the "dungeon of torture and death." Sara was relentless in vocalizing her findings that the children being pipelined through the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice System had been systematically failed as nearly all of them had experienced adverse childhood traumas and societal ills such as poverty, violence, mental health struggles, early childhood separation, and generational criminalization. Since 2021, she has been a key force with the People’s Council for Justice Reform,  pushing for accountability from the Board of County Commissioners and the Jail Trust, redirecting millions of COVID and ARPA funds back to taxpayers, and demanding reform at the deadliest jail in America. 

 

In 2022, Sara was elected to serve the hardworking residents of Ward 5 in Midwest City. During her term in office Sara has relentlessly represented the will of her constituents advancing community driven policy making. Sara is a firm believer of a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.  During her short tenure Ward 5 has welcomed two companies boosting economic development and employment opportunities.  She has worked diligently towards the revitalization and redevelopment of Mid-America Park, expansion of sidewalks, improving infrastructure, and advocated for after-school programs. She along with her colleagues have stood up for her community by holding slum landlords operating in Ward 5 accountable.  Sara has championed against discrimination, safeguarded freedom of speech, and opposed policies and ordinances diminishing government transparency, accessibility, and accountability.  She has also voted against proposals that would increase taxes, utility rates and fee. 

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