ILMI IWD Update
Just a little exciting news Jenny McShane is also joining us as a guest speaker on 7th March which is next Tuesday evening at 7pm via Zoom for our International Women’s Day (IWD) event exploring equity and equality in relation to disabled people. If you haven’t already registered please do so, we still have a few spaces left before we have to move up to a webinar. Email info@ilmi.ie to register
There will be a small Q and A session at the end of the event. This is a celebration event and you are all more than welcome to attend.
Jenny McShane is an editor and journalist who works across a broad range of platforms in media, specialising in branded and commercial concepts and copy, social and digital strategy as well as editorial features and news pieces.
There are too many publications she has worked in to list so here is a link to her portfolio.
Our other Guest Speakers include:
Rachel Hurst CBE is a British activist and former director of Disability Awareness in Action (DAA).. She has been interviewed on local and national media and written countless papers and articles in mainstream and disability press in relation to disability rights issues.
Shelby Lynch is a 25-year-old fashion and beauty influencer.
Elaine Short Professor (Tufts), Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering. Expertise includes: Robotics Artificial Intelligence, Human-Robot Interaction and Machine Learning Assistive Technology.
Louise Bruton is a freelance journalist, pop culture enthusiast, disability rights activist, DJ and playwright.
Caprice-Kwai is a 21 year old successful model, blogger, jewellery designer and business owner.
Nina Tame “The Wheel Housewife of Essex” is a counsellor and disability mentor, her educational content about disability, told in her unique, witty and fierce voice is influential on how we see ourselves in a fundamental and practical sense.
Sarah Gordy MBE is known for her roles in Ralph & Katie (2022), The A Word (2020), Upstairs Downstairs (2010), Call the Midwife (2014) and Holby City (2012). She has acted in TV, short films, radio dramas, commercials and many theatre productions.
Francesca Martinez is an English comedian, writer and actress.
Kind Regards,
The ILMI IWD Team
Rocking the System
ILMI’s Fiona Weldon with Dr Pauline Conroy attended “Rocking the system since 1973: EU and Ireland working together for Gender Equality” at the European Commission Representation in Ireland.
Citizens of Ireland have spoken and gender equality is truly at the forefront in supporting all women to demand their rights to be equals and play a part to rocking the system that has disempowered them. Government have committed to a 40% representation of women including those that intersect with other minority groups.
If a disabled woman is interested in getting involved in politics Minister Ivana Bacik is running The Sign Up a Sister Campaign to bring women into politics. www.ivanabacik.com It’s also worth looking at www.womenforelection.ie
This week VOICE Kilkenny had their first meeting of 2023
It was a fantastic discussion around issues disabled people are facing in Kilkenny and the importance of being a part of a collective to bring about change. Many disabled people feel that they should just accept things as they are because they are led to believe they can’t change things on their own.
This is true, but people and communities are stronger when we work together. The group will focus on group work and brainstorming as the first steps. Then we will focus on one issue at a time and work to make connections in the local community and work with ILMI staff to support the issues being highlighted.
VOICE is a great space to meet like-minded people, have your say and work as part of a collective. Kilkenny Meetings take place on Monday’s via Zoom from 6.30-7.30pm Email paulasoraghan@ilmi.ie to get the link or call Paula on 087 163 0433.
Want to get involved in VOICE?
If you live in Kilkenny, Carlow, Waterford or Wexford contact paulasoraghan@ilmi.ie or call Paula on 087 163 0433.
If you live in Kerry, Cork or Tipperary contact nicolameacle@ilmi.ie or call Nicola on 087 718 9237
Breaking Barriers
ILMI’s Peter Kearns’s research interview with Rebecca Tighe of ATD Ireland (All Together in Dignity) from the “Breaking Barriers” project. (ATD Ireland is part of the International “ATD Fourth World”, a movement of solidarity among, and in collaboration with the most disadvantaged and excluded families around the world, with more than sixty years’ experience of tackling inequality and promoting social justice. Rebecca told Peter that ATD hold a vision of a world without poverty, a society where each person is respected. Poverty is an affront to human dignity, and people in poverty have unique knowledge and experience that can lower the barriers separating people and communities.
ATD’s Rebecca asked ILMI’s Peter research questions such as:
What would you say are the main characteristics of socio- economic status for and with disabled people in Ireland?
What does socio- economic discrimination mean to ILMI and DPOs?
What are disabled people lived experiences of socio- economic discrimination?
How can Ireland bridge the gap and create trust between people from different socio – economic backgrounds/communities?
BREAKING BARRIERS: A participatory approach to defining socio- economic discrimination
Anyone interested in taking part in the project: Zoom interviews take around 30mins contact: dann@atdireland.ie Full info on this link
Add The 10th
ATD and ILMI are part of an alliance called #Addthe10th The purpose of this group is to have socio- economic status recognised as the tenth ground of discrimination in Irish equality legislation, namely the Equal Status Act and the Employment Equality Act
On Wednesday unfortunately the Socio-Economic #discrimination Bill vote wasn’t past, but we continue to remain hopeful that a 10th ground will be added to the #Equality legislation once the review is completed. It is a pivotal issue that needs action #Addthe10th
You can read the full @atdireland statement here |
