Story Feature: Sarena
Quote:
“T’áá hwó’ ají t’éego.”
Sarena shares that in diné bizaad (Navajo language) this saying has more than one meaning and the one that gives her inspiration is: “It’s up to you.”
Highlights from Sarena’s Story:
“When I graduated high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do….” Sarena shared. She says that her grandpa has been a male role model in her life, and he is a pipefitter and welder. It was at Sarena’s high school graduation ceremony and dinner, when she found that she never knew or realized how many of her family members were blue collar workers.
She realized that she grew up around it all, but it never really came to mind what they did for a living. Sarena shares that she found that her family members were in various trades, from pipefitters, welders, ironworkers, electricians, operators, etc.
Sarena started her path with the UA local for HVAC. She was told many times that she joined the wrong union for the service career she wanted. While she was working on one of the jobsites, she was working along the sheet metal workers and decided to check out their hall and signed up. Since then she’s been a tinner.
Currently with the company Sarena is working for she is installing duct and units, fabrication and structural welding, and bellowing the crane at a chemical plant. She states that she is able to work with different material, gauge, and diameter of duct on the site. Sarena shares that “…I’m learning something new every day at work…”
Next achievements in progress:
Recently Sarena has achieved journeyman status. She’s had the opportunity to learn BIM/CADD and HVAC service here in with local 359. Sarena was also elected to have a role in their women’s committee as secretary.
Sarena shares that her upcoming goal has been to become more involved in her union and with other ladies in the trade.
Sarena shares “…I would love to see our ladies build our team, bonding with each other and having a support system, because we aren’t the first in the local or the trade, but we are the first few...” She hopes to get their names out there with hopes of community service, donating to shelters, creating workshops, and hosting more events for our local members & their families. She also is aiming for more career exploration of her trade to share with locations on her native reservation. Sarena closes with the sentiment “…I’d love to see the push for my tribal members to have same opportunities as me, especially females…”
You can follow or connect with Sarena at:
https://www.instagram.com/ladytinners359/