Barbara Gray
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Kinaara
Barbara Gray, former Mayoress of Lewisham, founded Kinaraa in 2021 to address challenges faced by the local Black African and Caribbean community. With a background in policy and community engagement, Barbara's journey from personal assistant to community leader has been marked by perseverance and advocacy. Inspired by Maya Angelou and her own experiences, she focuses on amplifying community voices, influencing policy, and promoting equity. Through Kinaraa, Barbara combines innovative research with lived experience to empower Lewisham's Black community and drive systemic change. Her work spans consulting with policymakers, storytelling, and nurturing future generations of leaders.
Related work
Trust and Health Creation Partnership
The Trust and Health Creation Partnership is a three-year programme funded by the South East London Integrated Care Board (SEL ICB), bringing together By and For and grassroots VCSE organisations, NHS Prevention Leads, King's Health Partners and the South East London VCSE Strategic Alliance. Together, we are exploring how trust, relationships and community leadership contribute to community-led health creation, and how health and care systems can better understand, support and invest in the conditions that help communities thrive.
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