Meet The Forum: Kristina

Policy and Voice Officer

[h3]A Bosnian by birth, I fled the war in my country in 1992 and have been on the move ever since. My migration to Canada was positive, enlightening and empowering. I’ve studied politics to understand why the war happened and some years later, I also studied international development to learn how societies change (or not) for the better. The gratefulness that I feel for having these experiences encourages me and drives my work with others to make the best out of a given set of circumstances.[/h3]

Where do you live now and where have you lived?
I live in one of the greatest cities in the world – London. I have also lived in Sarajevo, Toronto, Oxford and Washington D.C.

Why are you interested in migration?
I have three migrations under my belt. From the war in Bosnia I went to Canada, then the USA and finally to the UK. All of these experiences were enriching, interesting and welcoming. On these journeys I met amazing people, studied at great universities and visited beautiful places. It changed me for the better for which I am grateful. I want to give back in return and share what I’ve learnt in the process.

What do you do at MRCF?
I work on policy and research. I am working to understand migration experiences: what migrants and their communities do, including the reasons for and the way they do certain things; decisions made on their behalf and the extent to which they have a say in those decision, etc. In short, I want to find a way, together with others, to make migrant life and experience better and more enriching for all. Our method is to first find out about an issue of concern, write about it and share it with those who care or ought to care about it. Then, together with our partners, we go out and talk to relevant people to try to change decisions, and improve processes and ways of doing this.

How did you come to work at MRCF?
I have known several people who have worked at MRCF over the years and liked their work. I wanted to become a part of the team and contribute. I have been lucky to be invited in.

What do you think is unique about MRCF?
Our team and the way we get things done is what makes our work distinct and successful. This can be described, in short as, ‘helping people help themselves’ and democratic active participation.

What issues do you think are most important to migrants in London?
For the majority of migrants, issues range from the lack of opportunities for education and employment to the lack of inclusion and representation. Currently, the three most pressing issues are: access to learning the English language, obtaining advice on social welfare and education issues, and diminishing access to rights and justice.

What are you looking forward to in the next year?
Making allies and partners, finding a way to do more and better work and seeing improved lives for migrants in London as a result.

Leave a Reply