‘Saying we want to stop racism is all well and good, but what are we going to do about it?’

Clenched black and brown fists in the air were flanked by the fists of Travellers, by Roma fists, by LGBT fists, and the fists of youngsters across the city who believe in equality in all its forms, before a crescendo of “What do we want? Change. When do we want it? Now,” led by rap ensemble RiverSide boomed throughout City Hall.

The young people who held the event believe in watershed moments, and that this is their time — starting in City Hall yesterday, May 26, 2023, Cork can inspire cities and towns across Ireland and beyond to actively reject and combat racism in all forms.

Cork Migrant Centre, Cork’s Mexican Community, the HSE, Nano Nagle Place, National Youth Council, Cork’s Roma Community, Tusla, Traveller Visibility Group, University College Cork (UCC), YMCA, and Cork City Council were among the organisations supporting the first such event to take place in Cork, along with the likes of Cork City Council and gardaí, with the support of the Children and Young People Services Committee (CYPSC).

The young rappers who took to the stage called for change, and called for it now, as did various poets, dancers, and activists in a day of performance, art, music, and dance.

For Mark Mavambu, the supportive words in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd in the US in 2020 were all well and good, but haven’t sufficiently been built upon in the aftermath.

One of the mentors for young people attending the summit, the Tralee-raised event manager and record label owner of Congolese and Angolan heritage and who lives in Cork City for the past decade, said condemning explicit incidents of racism is only one part of the equation.

Education — not only for pupils, but for teachers and school administrators — is also essential, he said.

“During covid-19, we did an online version of the event, with the mayor and gardaí there. It was a good event, but we kind of felt that promises were made without any real tangible action.

“Therefore, in this version in person, it is a way not only to hold those in authority to account, but also ourselves.

“Saying we want to stop racism and xenophobia is all well and good, but what are we going to do about it? Let’s educate and have a dialogue. Let’s actually try to figure out actions that we can take moving forward in order to actually repair this problem that’s happening for the country and for the world.

“Education is vital and that means having teachers and school principals actively engaged in stamping out racist incidents at root.

“For example, it may seem trivial to some but not allowing a young Black student to have cornrows in school implicitly implies that we are different, that we need to look a certain way or we don’t fit in. Cornrows are not just a fashion trend, they are an intrinsic part of Black culture. Schools have an imperative role,” Mark said.

Being complacent around the rise of the far right in Ireland is not an option, he said, adding that Cork, as a melting pot of culture, is the best place in Ireland to lead the anti-racist way.

Shrugging it off is not acceptable

“You are always going to get contrarian people, as well as people who feel the need to lash out, and people who know no better. When that comes together, you get anti-immigrant and far right movements growing.” Silence in the face of racism is complicity, in Mark’s eyes.

“Shrugging it off by saying to yourself that, ‘Ah, it’s only a few idiots who do it’ is not acceptable. Being anti-racist means calling such behaviour out and not standing by. Inaction is allowing something to happen — if a teacher sees a student bullied and says nothing, not using your authority and privilege to stop it is as bad as the racist act.” 

Young people will be heard and seen

Dedborah Aribasoye, Cork-born and raised of Nigerian heritage, experienced racism from teachers and peers, compounded by a diagnosis of dyslexia in primary school.

Triumphing over adversity, with a master’s in public relations and new media, the youth leader and mentor at the Cork Migrant Centre in Nano Nagle Place was a host for the anti-racism summit.

“If there is anything that we want to accomplish, it is that our young people and young adults at this event will be heard and seen, and the people who are able to make the changes in our country actually do help us make them — in schools, in colleges, in workplaces. We hope this anti-racism summit will inspire other counties.” If a movement could start in Cork and spread across the land, it would be an accomplishment for the entire city and county, she said.

“The work we do with all the organisations, it is absolutely possible to make Cork an anti-racist leader, we firmly believe that.

“I think it can definitely be a watershed moment and if the organisations and people that are at the event listen and take onboard to bring the necessary changes into their workplaces, schools, and politics.” 

For people who may think that Ireland’s progression into a multicultural nation that celebrates diversity is complete, Deborah and her peers say that the reality is unfortunately different — there is still a long way to go.

“From speaking to young people who we work with as well as those around me, it hasn’t gone away. It may seem that in recent years that it has calmed a little bit but in reality, we are experiencing racism still in our everyday lives. The other day I was on the bus and a racist comment was made. People are hiding it better rather than it going away.

It is easier to call it out these days, for sure, because nobody wants to be labelled as a racist.

“But in schools and the workplace, it can be a bit more under the radar.

“Mark is correct when he speaks about the policing of hair. This is something that is culturally important to us and we should be able to express ourselves through culturally important things.

“I just finished college and am ready to go into the workplace, but the reality is that it is more difficult for Black men and women to find a job, because employers do not just see a CV but also an African name and what I look like.

“There is a bias towards people who do not look like us and the data shows that — organisations and companies do not tend to hire people like me.” 

Not allowed be yourself

Rapper and occupational therapy student at UCC, Raphael Olympio, fully endorses what Mark and Deborah have said.

Heartbreakingly, he said the systemic and endemic racism has led him to attempt to bleach his skin lighter and other measures in a desperate attempt to fit in.

“Not being allowed to be myself through the likes of wearing my hair how I wanted was very isolating in school.

“It got to the stage where I started bleaching my skin when I was a teenager, I put contacts in to make my eyes lighter, and I straightened my hair, just to fit in. 

But it was never going to be enough.

“Growing up here in the education system, you’re always trying to assimilate, always trying to fit in, to do everything in your power to feel accepted.” RAPHAEL, from Togher and of West African heritage, spoke movingly about the first time real allyship from a white school friend came to the fore.

“In secondary school, I got my hair braided, as a way to portray my culture and who I was.

“A lot of Black people will braid their hair in the wintertime because it sustains the hair and keeps it healthy, it is not just a fashion thing. I was asked to get rid of it. It was hurtful, but one of my white classmates wrote to the principal to explain the cultural and expressive context.

“That, for me, was the first time a white person had spoken up for me, stood shoulder to shoulder with me, and it felt so good. In that moment, we were brothers and I will never forget it,” he said.

Raphael was still compelled to cut his hair, because school administrators have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to cultural and racial understanding, he said.

“All the teachers agreed I needed to get rid of it, then you are allowing my classmates to think I am unequal. That is how it festers.” Incidents of explicit racism are still an everyday occurrence for Black people, Travellers, people of colour, and members of the LGBT community despite the progress we believe we have made as a society, Raphael said.

“Despite it happening regularly, it still absolutely shocks and sickens you to your core. People making monkey noises passing by in their car, people calling you the N-word, and you are left asking yourself what has just happened.

“There is also a perception in many workplaces that Black people are somehow incompetent. I used to work in healthcare, specifically with the elderly, and I loved it. But there were times people would use racial slurs when helping them, or even co-workers assuming you are not up to the job.

“My last name has a Portuguese sound to it, so I have walked into job interviews where it it plainly visible that the person does not expect to see a Black man sitting down.

“I remember one time I spoke in a job interview where growing up in direct provision came up, and the interviewer told me he felt sorry for ‘those inbreds’. Because I needed the job, I sat there and accepted it.

“I had to continue the interview and pretend it was not said. It is hard in the moment to speak up for yourself and to call out such behaviour. You are filled with anxiety and you question in those moments who you are. 

Fighting back in the moment is so difficult.

“This is why anti-racism summits — with Cork leading the way — are so important.

“In the middle of covid-19, people changed their social media profile pictures to Black, they said ‘Black Lives Matter’, they said they were in solidarity. That was great, but now we are asking what will you do now when it comes to taking action?

“Once you see racism, do you just go back on your device and exclaim that racism is horrible, or do you take action?

That is why Cork can be the shining example of anti-racism, Raphael said.

“We hope this event is going to be the first of many and the first to stir conversation in Cork. 

This city has a pride about itself and its people are proud of who they are. 

“It would be great to see Cork take that pride in being an anti-racist city and county, and be an example not just for other counties, but for other countries around Europe and around the world. We want Cork to be the driving force for others to look up to — that shining beacon to inspire all.”