Meet Sara Curtis | Professional Skydiver & Co-Organizer of Project 19

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sara Curtis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sara, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
As a professional skydiver, taking risks is a huge part of my life and career. It is incredibly important that all risks are calculated, that safety is paramount and the chance of success feels right. I got into skydiving as a hobby, but as my love for it grew as I took risks to make it my career. As my skills and confidence grew, I was able to increase my calculated risk to start competing, teaching beginners, coaching high level skydivers, training the military, and even take part in daring stunt work.

Recently, I led a group of 80 women to take a huge risk together to set a new world record by forming the largest all-women head-down skydive. The feat, called Project 19 after the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote, involved inspiring others through a challenging endeavor involving incredible balance and skill. After years of practice and training to complete 29 total jumps, we successfully achieved the only large formation skydiving world record this year.

The most important aspect of Project 19 wasn’t just to build a new world record, but to achieve a greater mission of supporting and celebrating women’s rights around the globe. Fully sponsored by the Women’s Skydiving Network, Project 19 was originally conceived to take place in 2020 with a 100-way head down all-woman formation to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which in 1920 gave women the right to vote in the United States, at least on paper. For the next 40+ years the United States and many other countries still struggled with race and class issues preventing some women (and men) from being able to exercise their constitutional right to vote.

By taking risks, I hope to show the world that women can achieve their dreams, work together and collaborate towards amazing goals. Lack of representation and equality impact nearly every aspect of women’s lives and the sport of skydiving is no exception, with only 14% of skydivers identifying as female, according to the United States Parachute Association (USPA). Whether it’s jumping out of a plane, or simply trying something new, we ultimately want to inspire women to lead bold, brave lives of their own design.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I didn’t start off thinking I would become a professional skydiver. I got a university degree in Fashion Merchandising in Toronto, Canada and started my career as a retail clothing buyer. Skydiving became a hobby early on in my professional years where I worked long hours, traveled the world, and went skydiving on the weekends. My love for skydiving grew and my hobby became more serious and I myself, just like many of the women of Project 19 with demanding careers, decided I wanted to participate in a Women’s Vertical World Record. I trained hard and my training led me to Eloy, Arizona where I met my now teammate, business partner and Co-Organizer Amy Chmelecki and my now teammate, business partner and husband Steve Curtis. They introduced me to a world where skydiving was not just a hobby, but a serious multifaceted sport with opportunities for unlimited personal and professional growth.
Taking a “big leap” in my life, Steve and I decided to marry shortly thereafter and even though I hadn’t specifically decided to leave my career in fashion behind, once I was immersed in the world of competitive and professional skydiving the move felt natural. Years of competition and building a business coaching civilians and military skydivers honed my skills and led the way to organizing events, world records and eventually Project 19.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m biased, but I love Skydive Arizona in Eloy, Arizona. The drop zone is located in the heart of the scenic Sonoran Desert and lies midway between Phoenix and Tucson. Skydive Arizona recently hosted the Project 19 world record, and is a great destination for taking your first skydive or joining in on the most elite skydiving events in the world. Two years ago, I decided to run for City Council in Eloy, Arizona to serve both the skydiving community here and the residents at large and am proud to be an elected official in a very unique and beautiful small town.
Places to go would of course be the drop zone, hiking on Picacho Peak, visiting the petroglyphs by Flower Rock, exploring nearby historic and natural sites in Tucson, shopping and dinners in Phoenix, and of course visits to Sedona and the Grand Canyon. The Sonoran desert is an incredible place to live or visit!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give a shoutout to all of the incredible organizations and individuals involved in making Project 19 a reality, including all of the 120 female skydivers and our huge support team behind the scenes. This endeavor would not be possible without the Women’s Skydiving Network, the Highlight Pro Skydiving Team and USPA. It’s also incredibly important to shoutout to our male allies in this woman-led record. I personally want to thank my husband Steve Curtis, not only for capturing the amazing footage in the sky of the achievement of this group, but also supporting our work every step of the way.

Website: https://womensskydivingnetwork.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/project19_skydiving/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/womensskydiving

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/project19womensverticalrecord/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/skydive-arizona-eloy

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqFsXFjIQ1Tc3x1pFGi4e4w

Image Credits
Highlight Pro Skydiving Team, Norman Kent, Samantha Schwann and Ewan Cowie