One of the mighty women on Woman’s Hour’s 2020 Our Planet Power List, Zarina previously worked at the Council for Ethnic Minority Voluntary Organisations leading the charge for increasing participation in environmentalism in Scotland.
Since being told that "ethnic minorities aren’t interested in climate change", Zarina has dedicated herself to creating pathways for under-represented groups to work in environmental organisations – increasing not only a diversity of people, but a diversity of ideas by providing training and creating learning spaces. In response to the lack of specific data about ethnic minority groups and environmentalism, Zarina is now researching sustainable behaviours within BAME communities in the UK for a PhD at the University of Manchester and is also a researcher on a Food Justice project, Just FACT in London and an advisor for Women’s Environmental Network.
Zarina has created spaces for marginalised women’s voices to be heard about climate issues, Climate Sisters who exhibit their creative work at various venues such as the Glasgow Science Centre, the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Zarina’s accolades include recognition by Edinburgh Science Institute as an inspirational woman who has made a significant impact in STEM featuring her in 2021's festival. More recently Zarina received the coveted Emma Goldman Award for her feminist work on climate justice and inequalities.
Zarina has a number of board positions including the Scottish Women’s Budget Group and is on the directorate team of Climate X Change.