[5][6] She is also an artist and graduated from Eastern Institute of Technology with a bachelor in Māori visual arts (Te Toi o Ngā Rangi).
[15] Between 1998 and 2002, Kerekere ran a weekly lotto fundraiser to make sure that Māori, Pacific, and low income lesbians would be represented on the team.
"[15] Kevin Haunui began running Tīwhanawhana's weekly kapa haka group in Wellington from the mid-2000s, with Kerekere leading political work across various sectors relevant to takatāpui.
[15] In 2015, the Tīwhanawhana Trust board consisted of Kerekere, Haunui, Peri Te Wao, and Heta Timu.
[14] Since its foundation, Tīwhanawhana has become an integral part of Wellington's rainbow communities, often guiding the tikanga – Māori cultural practices – at events and within organizations, informing organizational strategies so that they honor takatāpui, leading waiata, and giving kapa haka performances.
[33][34] Radio New Zealand subsequently reported that at least seven current and former Green Party staff had made allegations of bullying and combative behaviour against Kerekere.
In response, a Green Party spokesperson stated that Kerekere was undergoing an "internal process" being conducted by musterer Jan Logie and chief of staff Robin Campbell.
An unidentified former senior Māori Green Party advisor claimed that Kerekere was the victim of bullying and alleged "dirty politics."
According to Stuff, Kerekere's high fourth-place ranking in the draft Green Party list had "ruffled feathers" with the parliamentary caucus.
[41][42] They also confirmed that the Party did not intend to use the waka jumping provisions of the Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Act 2018 to expel Kerekere from Parliament.
Kerekere also alleged she was denied natural justice and was not subject to a formal complaints process, which she described as an "epic failure of leadership.