Karen is the founder and Director of Equanomics-UK, a new initiative to build a UK community led alliance that re-shapes race related policy through an economic lens and analysis. Karen is the Editor of the Equanomics Index, and directs the organisation’s research and public policy. She is also a founder member of the 1990 Trust, where she was the Chief Executive Officer 2000 -2005 and is now a board director.

The 1990 Trust is a not for profit third sector charity working on Race Relations in the UK and has just established The Roots Research Institute for community based research on race equality.

Selected from 1600 applicants by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust [JRCT], in May 2005, to be one of seven ‘visionaries’ with ideas to change the world, Karen has over three decades of leadership in social movements to eradicate poverty, and inspire race equality and economic justice.

Karen’s experience and leadership in social movements includes:

• She started work as a volunteer at the then Leicester Community Relations Council and her first job was as a youth worker with Asian girls in Belgrave, Leicester.
• Founding member of the Black members’ organisation of the National And Local Government Officers [NALGO] know today as UNISON.
• •A senior Lecturer at Leicester ’s De Montfort University for 12 years where she was the programme leader for the MA in Community Education.
• Chaired Belgrave Baheno Women’s Centre - now the Peepul Centre Leicester, a multi million pound social enterprise – for 25 years until January 2008.
• Recipient of the 2006 recognition award from the Islamic Human Rights Foundation for battling Islamophobia.
• Recipient of the 2006 Special Commendation in the finals of the Women of Achievement awards organised by Leicester Chamber of Commerce.
• Recipient in 2007, along with her children, of Nintendo’s ‘Britain’s Brainiest Family ’ competition.
• Recipient of the 2008 ‘ Woman Warrior – Trailblazer Award’ from the Reverend Jesse Jackson Rainbow Push Coalition New York Wall Street Economic Summit.

Karen is a nationally recognised expert on social movements and equality analysis and annually presents over 50 lectures and presentations in universities, the civil service, local government, trade unions, and community organisations.