Araya Baker, M.Phil.Ed.

Araya Baker is a counselor, suicidologist, and policy analyst. For over a decade, Araya Baker [they/them/their(s)] has contributed to social justice and human rights movements, primarily by lending support to people-over-profit-oriented artist coalitions, faith communities, political campaigns, nonprofit organizations, research centers and think tanks, and public school systems.

Araya’s advocacy and public scholarship have been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Teen Vogue, Huffington Post, Psychology Today, Education Post, Vice, Buzzfeed, and The Tennessean, among other outlets. Essence Magazine, Native Son Now, and The Mighty have also recognized Baker’s activism.

As a consultant and speaker, Araya has collaborated with equity-centered and justice-championing institutions such as The American Public Health Association, The National Partnership for Educational Access, The African American Male Initiative, The New York Urban League Young Professionals, First Peoples Fund, NATAL, and Pride in the Pews.

Professionally, Baker’s work within the mental health field has included positions with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK), The Trevor Project, The Los Angeles LGBT Center, The School District of Philadelphia’s Office of Prevention & Intervention, The Racial Empowerment Collective, and Mental Health America, where Baker co-authored The City of Houston’s inaugural public survey on mental health.

Baker holds an M.Phil.Ed. in Professional Counseling from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, where they received the Award for Excellence in Promoting Diversity & Inclusion, and an Ed.M. in Human Development & Psychology from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where they served as an Equity & Inclusion Fellow.