Anti-racism course graduation in Longford Community Resources

Longford Community Resources celebrated the graduation of eight participants from an Anti-Racism course hosted by the County Longford Traveller Healthcare Project in September 2024.

The course was designed and delivered by the Community Action Network (CAN) and the Irish Network Against Racism (INAR) through funding received by Longford Community Resources from the Irish Human Rights & Equality Commission.

The graduation ceremony was attended by Seán Regan (RIP), the dedicated manager of Longford Community Resources’ Social Inclusion Programmes, along with Pat Tobin (CAN), MariaElena Costaga (INAR), and the course graduates.

Seán Regan, who has since sadly passed away, was a passionate advocate for social justice and a staunch supporter of initiatives that combat racism and that emphasize the positive contributions migrants bring to their local communities.

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The Anti-Racism course was attended by minority ethnic leaders from around the Longford area. Course content was centred around understanding racism and contributing factors such as assumptions, prejudice, stereotyping, and unconscious bias.

The effect of racialisation on public policy and institutional and structural racism were also covered.

The training identified the practical steps needed to challenge and dismantle institutional racism.

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Participants learned to recognize racism and stereotypes, how to report them effectively, and, most importantly, how to influence decision-making systems that perpetuate racial injustices.

Graduate Catherine Joseph said she had the privilege of attending the Anti-Racism course as the founder of the Ethnic Minority Hub, which supports migrants and people of colour in Longford and across Ireland.

Ms Joseph remarked, “As a person of colour myself, I found the experience both impactful and productive.

The course provided a unique opportunity to learn not only about my own community's challenges but also to hear from other marginalized communities, such as the Travellers and Muslims.

It was truly eye-opening to understand the different types of racism each group experiences and to explore ways we can be allies to one another. These insights have been invaluable and inspiring for the work I do within my community.”

Miroslav Nistor, Community Support Worker with Longford Roma Community Development Project, concurred adding, “The course helped me recognise discrimination against the Roma community and to advocate for their rights.”

Overall, participants said they had a better understanding of racism and how to deal with it and or get support.

They had a new language with which to speak about racism, better awareness of and respect for different cultures, and increased capacity to speak in a group on matters that they would previously have had difficulty with.

The building advocacy capacity and advancing the rights of minority ethnic community leaders’ course was delivered in partnership between Longford Community Resources – County Longford Traveller Primary Healthcare Project, Irish Network Against Racism and Community Action Network and funded through Strand A ‘Advancing Access to Justice and Rights’ of the Human Rights & Equality Grant Scheme 2023-24 by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.