The Thin Black Line
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Work with karen

Associate Consultant - Race Equity, Culture & Organisational Review

I partner with organisations to address systemic barriers and build cultures where equity is not optional but essential. Grounded in lived experience and strategic insight, my consultancy helps leaders move beyond aspiration to action—creating workplaces that are fair, accountable, and built to thrive.


Services

Strategic DEI Advice

Turn strategies into measurable change. I ensure plans move off the page and into practice, delivering tangible results for people and performance.


Policy & Process Evaluation

Equip senior leaders with confidence to challenge legacy systems, make evidence‑based decisions, and lead with integrity in a changing world.


My Approach

I combine lived experience with strategic expertise to challenge assumptions, inspire reflection, and guide organisations toward meaningful, measurable change. My style is supportive yet constructively challenging—ensuring progress feels both ambitious and achievable.


Who I Work With

  • Public sector organisations
  • Corporate businesses
  • Education institutions
  • Community organisations


Why Choose Me

  • Unique blend of lived experience and strategic insight
  • Transparent, principled, and relationship‑driven approach
  • Trusted facilitator with a track record of enabling meaningful change



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SAFE to BE: A programme created to empower, inform and elevate the voices of Black children.


Why I Created SAFE to BE

I was just leaving policing when the devastating case of Child Q came to light. As both a former police officer and the mother of a young Black girl, the story hit me hard. It forced me to reckon with the uncomfortable truth that many Black children simply do not feel safe when engaging with the very systems I had dedicated 30 years of my life to.

That moment was a turning point. I knew I couldn’t walk away from this issue — I had to act. I began reflecting on how I could use my lived experience to create something meaningful, something that would genuinely support and empower our young people.

That’s when SAFE to BE was born.



What is SAFE to BE?

SAFE to BE stands for Shaping Active Futures for Empowerment to Build Equity. It’s a unique, youth-led engagement programme designed specifically for Black children and young people.

At its heart, SAFE to BE provides a space where they can speak openly and honestly about their lived experiences with policing, trust, and power — all while building confidence, knowledge, and community.

Unlike traditional interventions that focus narrowly on stop and search or knife crime, SAFE to BE centres on relationships, voice, and empowerment. It shifts the narrative from fear to ownership — from being policed, to actively shaping how policing works for them.


What Does the Programme Involve?

The programme is delivered over eight sessions, each rooted in the SAFE to BE framework: Support, Awareness, Future, Empowerment.

  • Session 1: Building Trust & Setting the Tone
    Establishing rapport, setting expectations, and introducing the purpose and values of SAFE to BE. 
  • Sessions 2–5: Exploring the Pillars
    Each week focuses on a different aspect of the framework through guided discussion, reflection, and interactive activities. 
  • Session 6: Breaking Barriers – Youth Voices in the Room
    Participants engage directly with police officers and leaders, observe training environments, and take part in open dialogue — moving from theory to lived reality. 
  • Session 7: Vision for the Future
    Young people present their ideas and solutions for a future of policing that feels safe, fair, and inclusive for them and their communities. 
  • Session 8: Ongoing Engagement
    Local officers are invited to continue engaging with the group through regular school visits — a vital step in turning one-off engagement into lasting relationships.
     

SAFE to BE: A Movement for Change

The honesty, energy, and brilliance of the young people who have taken part reaffirm why this work matters. Their ideas are powerful. Their questions are bold. And their capacity to lead the conversation is inspiring.


SAFE to BE is more than a programme — it is a growing movement for change. A movement that insists Black children deserve not only to feel safe, but to be safe. To be heard. To be valued. To be free to shape the future with confidence and dignity.


CONTACT ME TO FIND OUT MORE

Keynote Speaker, Panellist & Facilitator

 As a keynote speaker, panellist, and facilitator, I bring a compelling blend of lived experience, professional insight, and authentic storytelling to every platform I step onto. Grounded in my journey as a Black woman in policing and leadership, I speak with honesty, depth, and purpose—sparking reflection, dialogue, and ultimately, meaningful change.


Whether delivering a keynote, sitting on a panel, or facilitating a support session, my focus remains the same: to connect, challenge, and inspire. I create spaces where audiences feel safe to explore uncomfortable truths, consider new perspectives, and reimagine what inclusive, courageous leadership looks like in action.


My sessions are known for:

  • Creating trust and psychological safety
  • Igniting belief and motivation in others
  • Turning lived experience into shared wisdom


Signature Speaking Topics

  • Reclaiming  Narratives: The power of telling our own stories in hostile systems
  • The  Thin Black Line: Navigating race, loyalty, and leadership in policing
  • Representation vs. Belonging: The emotional toll of being the ‘only one’
  • Black Women in Uniformed Services: Shifting from surviving to thriving
  • Creating  Brave Spaces: Leading inclusive conversations in your workplace
  • From  Silence to Strategy: Supporting women through cultural and systemic change
     

Every engagement is an opportunity to foster connection, deepen understanding, and leave people feeling seen, empowered, and ready to lead within their own spheres of influence..


Booking & Contact

Tailored Support: Mentoring, Mediation & Grievance Investigation

 I provide bespoke, culturally intelligent support to individuals and organisations, with a specific focus on mentoring, mediation, and the fair investigation of grievances impacting the Black community in the workplace. My approach is grounded in trust, lived experience, and a deep commitment to equity and psychological safety.


Mentoring
I offer one-to-one mentoring designed to support the professional and personal growth of Black individuals in the workplace. Whether navigating barriers, developing leadership potential, or building confidence, my mentoring creates a safe and empowering space for reflection, progression, and self-belief. Each relationship is built on cultural understanding, empathy, and a commitment to seeing individuals thrive.


Workplace Mediation
I facilitate restorative conversations and structured mediation processes to address workplace conflict in a way that promotes dignity, healing, and accountability. My mediation work is sensitive to power dynamics and the racialised experiences Black professionals may face. The aim is not just resolution—but mutual understanding, improved communication, and long-term change.


Independent Grievance Investigation
I conduct fair, thorough, and trauma-informed investigations into workplace complaints and grievances, with a particular focus on issues involving discrimination, racism, and exclusion. My independence ensures objectivity, and my experience ensures that no nuance is missed. I provide organisations with evidence-based findings and clear recommendations to support a culture of trust and accountability.

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Curious to learn more?

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