Dr. Kara Beckford

"He uri ahau nō Te Arawa whānui, nō Jamaica hoki. My identity is always evolving and it’s exciting to learn and reclaim my own ancestral knowledges to express who I am. I identify as a Te Arawa and Black woman (mokopuna, daughter, sister, niece, cousin, partner and soon-to-be-mum) of the Afro-Caribbean diaspora and as Takatāpui. The pronouns I use are contextual and are not at the forefront when I think of who I am, but I acknowledge the privilege in this. I don't mind she/her, ia or just my name.
 
" I have spent many years working in advocacy spaces to advance the mana, rangatiratanga, and wellbeing of people whose voices were not being heard institutionally. This work took place largely within the mental health sector as well as within Universities. I have had a broader trajectory entailing governance and research as it relates to rainbow people, Māori, Pasifika and other ethnic minority peoples considering those intersections and their wellbeing. This journey was driven by love for these communities and a call to contribute to our collective wellbeing in the face of adversity, discrimination and oppression.