Kene Orakwue [she/they]  is a health equity scholar, activist, and practitioner. Grounded in Black feminist theory, reproductive justice, and other critical frameworks, their scholarship aims to interrogate racial formation and meaning, whilst better understanding the impact on health status and differential healthcare experiences from oppressive systems. Their current work focuses on maternal health, specifically working to end the Black maternal health crisis.They are dedicated to dismantling oppressive systems and strive every day to move closer to building a world where people not only live but thrive. They do this all whilst dreaming of a Reproductive Justice future.

Kene is currently a fourth year PhD candidate in the Health Services Research, Policy & Administration program at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Kene received their MPH with a concentration in Health Policy & Management, their B.S. in Public Health Sciences with a focus area in Global Women's Health, and a certificate in Reproductive Health, Rights & Justice from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.