A Recap Of A Glorious October
Our official banner for Black History Month
This black history month was packed full with activities from TIA. not to pat ourselves on our metaphorical backs but we did a pretty good job this month. Our activities ranged from a CV drive to help people in their early careers to an exhibition showcasing black history through art.
We thought to give a little recap on the events.
Skills Program
Our skills program focused on our mission to increase the visibility of black descents in the workforce, we decided to target early careers. We identified a gap were people are missing vital tools to help them navigate the workforce in their early careers. We had a very helpful CV workshop with HR leaders Kelly McDonald, Innocent Matthew and Elidyah Muabana;
Participants were given insights into the recruiting process and handy tips to optimise their CV. Then a spirited round of mock interviews.
Kelly McDonald, has over 20 years experience working in Global Financial Services and Fin-Tech companies in London, Australia and Ireland.
Innocent Matthew, is a Sales Recruiter with over 3 years of Recruiting experience and 2 years of HR experience. He has a Bsc in Psychology and an MSc in Human Resources Management.
Elidyah Muabana, a dedicated Recruitment Partner with five years of HR and recruitment experience, specialises in the pharmaceutical industry.
Tech Ireland Advocates
Tech Ireland Advocates in collaboration with Trinity Dublin University Computer Science Society (DUCSS) hosted a panel, with the theme ‘Black In Tech.’ The panel was put together to showcase the career journeys of four black women in various roles in Tech. It was an interactive panel that encouraged honest conversation between the panelist and the audience.
Flyer for the event.
The Exhibition
For our event, we wanted to celebrate our sisters using the arts, we invited artists, singers, photographers, spoken word artists and poets to come and express Black history using their respective mediums. The idea was to show a reimagined view of Black Irish History, it was a day bursting of dance, food and art. Small businesses were invited and granted access to our community to sell and promote their businesses.
We partnered with some incredible communities to put this event together, for the artists; African Irish Art, Prosper Brass, Masekabay and Greg Kalala took us on an artistic journey with their works of art. People interacted with the artists as they shared their process, inspiration and meanings behind their paintings.
After people had fed their eyes with art they were ushered in to the gathering portion of the day, were the storytellers, poets and dancers captured their attention until the end. We had a thrilling fashion display by e3 sustainable fashion. We had an array of speakers, Ngala Giresse Mukundayi who represented the Congolese Community in Ireland.
This event in part was to raise awareness to the charitable cause, Sickle Cell Society Ireland an initiative setup to educate the general public about the Sickle Cell Disorder.
It was an incredible event.
