University of Auckland doctoral candidate Kenya Kavanagh-Vincent brings a Caribbean lens to her research within an Aotearoa New Zealand context.
Born in the United Kingdom to a British mother and a Jamaican-British father, Kenya grew up in Aotearoa, where navigating multicultural spaces was part of everyday life.
Her doctoral research focuses on the experiences of Caribbean people in Aotearoa — a small community whose stories are often absent from academic and social discourse.
Her name, Kenya, was chosen to honour the country where her parents married and reflects the international threads woven into her story. She arrived in Aotearoa at the age of eight with her parents and older brother, and the family settled in Mellons Bay, East Auckland.
Growing up in Aotearoa, there were few opportunities to engage with Caribbean culture locally — one of the key motivations behind research that focuses on belonging, visibility, displacement and the intergenerational impacts of colonisation.
“Realising you’re not alone can help you feel seen and validated. I hope my research can provide a platform for Caribbean people to share their experiences as a small, often ‘invisible’ group in Aotearoa,” she says.
Her experience enables her to recognise the complexities of identity, belonging and systemic inequities. She’s drawn on these strengths to develop cultural awareness to better support Māori and Pacific clients.
Now in the final year of the Doctor of Clinical Psychology programme, Kenya has also secured a 2026 internship with a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), marking a significant milestone on her pathway to becoming a registered clinical psychologist.
Academic pathways marked by resilience
During her high school years, Kenya developed an interest in psychology. She moved to Christchurch, where she completed a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology, followed by a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Psychology in 2019.
Eager to reconnect with family and gain work experience, she planned a return to the United Kingdom, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was unfolding. Unable to leave NZ, she began her pursuit of a career in clinical psychology. It was not a straightforward pathway.
After several years of unsuccessful applications, Kenya’s persistence paid off. Following completion of the University of Auckland’s pre-clinical year, she was accepted into the Doctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsych) programme in 2023.
As a woman of colour and Caribbean manuhiri in Aotearoa, Kenya’s approach to psychology is underpinned with a strong commitment to social justice and cultural responsiveness.
“I acknowledge that my experience is different from that of tangata whenua,” she says.
“But there are shared threads between Caribbean histories and Indigenous histories — colonisation, discrimination, and resilience — that shape how we move through the world.”
Following in her mother’s footsteps
One of the most significant influences on Kenya’s academic and clinical journey has been her mother, an experienced family and couples’ psychotherapist.
From reviewing ideas together and offering insights into therapeutic practice, to providing emotional support through the intensity of clinical training, her mother’s guidance has been foundational. Kenya’s decision to pursue psychology is a continuation of the compassionate, community-centred work she grew up witnessing.
A village of support
Kenya credits her parents for their unwavering support — from home-cooked meals and a place to rest during stressful periods, to encouragement through moments of self-doubt. She also draws strength from the close friendships formed within her clinical psychology cohort.
“I’m fortunate to have formed really close friendships within my clinical psychology rōpū,” she says.
“I’m grateful to be on this rollercoaster alongside like-minded wahine who understand the pressures of the programme and the imposter syndrome that can creep in.”
“We share a passion for learning, self-reflection, and deepening our understanding of the communities we work with in therapy.”
As she enters the final stages of writing her doctoral thesis, Kenya’s aspirations remain grounded in community wellbeing. She hopes to work with young people and, in the longer term, continue contributing to the visibility and understanding of Caribbean communities in Aotearoa.
This article is a press release from the University of Auckland.
