We amplify lived experience stories and expertise to address social inequalities

Oksana Kalala is the Founder and Managing Director of New Arrivals CIC, a grassroots charity which supports refugees and migrants and their integration into the UK. 

Drawing on her own lived experience, Oksana set out to help others have a less turbulent start in a new country. As one of our 2026 spokespeople, she hopes to gain the confidence, skills and experience to further amplify and support others.

When Elsy Gomez Campos wrote a blog about racial discrimination in pharmacy in 2018, she wasn’t expecting the response. Messages flooded in from Black pharmacy professionals sharing similar experiences. Now part of our Spokesperson Leadership Programme, she shares why she founded the UK Black Pharmacists Association and her ambition to bring more people into the conversation about racial discrimination in pharmacy. 

Having experienced first-hand the challenges of fleeing conflict and rebuilding a life in the UK, Said Mir Ahmad Seerat now works to support refugees and migrants in Hull. As part of our Spokesperson Leadership Programme, he shares his passion for helping others integrate and his commitment to creating positive change.