MEET KAREN
I am Karen Larbi, a trainer, facilitator, coach, and advocate for justice, equity, and healing-centred leadership.
My journey has been shaped by a deep belief in the power of connection – connection to ourselves, to others, and to the earth.
This belief has been both my compass and my anchor as I navigate life and work.
My Awakening
My path began with a personal reckoning. As a young Black woman working in the charity sector, I lived in a state of chronic burnout, trying to tackle discrimination while grappling with the weight of my own experiences. This period coincided with my racial awakening as I immersed myself in the works of Black Feminist scholars like bell hooks, Patricia Hill Collins and Audre Lorde, seeking to understand my experiences and heal from the intersections of systemic racism and patriarchy.
Amid this awakening, I found solace in nature – a space where I could breathe, reflect, and heal. I attended a retreat for activists in a remote part of Devon, where I encountered the Work That Reconnects through the transformative book Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in Without Going Crazy by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone. The retreat, the profound connection to the natural world it facilitated and this transformative book changed everything for me. My eyes opened to the massive impact that passionate individuals can make to social change wherever they are.
Cemented in my consciousness was the belief that the best way to face racial injustice, climate change and environmental catastrophe is by developing our own inner resources through connecting to the sanctity of all life, and grounding ourselves in deep gratitude and reverence for our lives and the interconnected web of life we are part of.
My Journey
Inspired and motivated, I founded POC In Nature, an online community dedicated to exploring the healing power of nature and diversifying environmental movements. Through this work, I created a space for people of colour share their experiences of being in nature, and challenge the systemic barriers that have long excluded us from environmental spaces.
My journey deepened as I became a social change facilitator, trained in the Direct Action methodology by Campaign Bootcamp, Training for Change, and Ulex Project, and facilitated workshops and training on campaigning, sustainable activism, and anti-oppression. I then trained in Movement Chaplaincy with the Faith Matters Network and trauma-informed embodiment coaching with The Focalizing Institute, equipping myself to better support individuals and organisations striving to align with their values and create meaningful impact.
Most recently, I have worked as a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategist, supporting companies to engage meaningfully with equity and enable them to align their social purpose with their business objectives.
My Vision
Today, my work is centred on co-creating a world where justice and healing flourish. Through compassion-focused DEI training, trauma-informed anti-oppression facilitation, and one-on-one embodiment coaching, I strive to help individuals and organisations align with their deepest values. My approach is grounded in social justice, Black Feminism, and the wisdom of the natural world.
I believe that true transformation begins with care – care for ourselves, care for our communities, and care for the Earth. By nurturing authentic connection and celebrating difference, we can build frameworks for justice and healing that are inclusive, sustainable, and transformative, and build a world where everyone can thrive.
This is a Story of Self, a Story of Us, and a Story of Now – a story of awakening, transformation, and hope. It is a story I hope will inspire us all to embrace our power, affirm our wholeness, and reclaim our humanity, so we can work side-by-side to build an equitable world.
