Briana Fitzsimons

If you’re aged 13–18, attending school in 🇮🇪, and want to share your experiences of belonging, I’d love to chat as part of my PhD research study! It’s all about amplifying real voices to help schools better support multiracial students. Under 18? A parent/guardian needs to give permission to participate. Questions? Send me a DM! This research has been approved by the DCU Ethics Committee. Check the link for contact info — and please share with someone who might be interested ✨🫶🏽 #MultiracialYouth #BelongingInSchools #IrishEducation #YouthVoice #InclusionMatters

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT 📣 I’m so excited to finally share this! Anti-bias Anti-racism for School Staff is now live — a fully online, self-paced course created specifically for people working in schools. Bias and racism show up in schools every day, yet so many school staff were never given the time, space or tools to properly understand or challenge them. This course is designed to change that. ✨ Learn at your own pace ✨ Fully virtual — access anytime ✨ Practical, reflective, school-focused ✨ Centred on equity, inclusion and student belonging ✨Certificate of completion If you work in a school and care about creating safer, more inclusive spaces for all students, this course is for you. 🔗 Enrol now via the link in bio Let’s do this work — together. ✊🏽 #AntiBiasEducation #AntiRacismEducation #TeachersOfInstagram #InclusiveEducation #EquityInEducation

New around here? 😁 I think it’s probably a good time to reintroduce myself! 👋🏽 I’m Briana! I’m originally from the US but I’ve been living in Ireland since 2017. 🙋🏽‍♀️ I’m a multi-ethnic (Afro-Puerto Rican, German-Jewish) person who has encountered issues around identity and belonging since infancy. 👩‍👧‍👧 I’m a mom of two kiddos (ages 5 & 8) and I’m working towards a better future for them and all the kids in the generations to come. 📖 I co-authored an award-winning book that was about some amazing people and how it’s ok to hold multiple identities at once. 👩🏽‍🏫 I’m a former secondary school teacher who is dedicated to bringing intersectional anti-biased and anti-racist practices into schools, workplaces and organisations. 💡My anti-racism work focuses on the shared experiences of forming identity and belonging and I help others to think about these ideas through a lens of building empathy and compassion for those who are different than us. 🫶🏽Thank you all for the support. Stick around to find out more about me, anti-racism and my work. 🙌🏽 📸 by @tobias.mba

Reports of racism in Ireland seem to be increasing lately. While the latest story making headlines is shocking, for many racialised people, it’s sadly nothing new. And this isn’t only happening to adults, it’s happening in our schools every single day. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We all have a role to play in creating real change, not just for this generation, but for the generations that follow. Let’s work together to build anti-racist schools, so stories like these become part of the past, not our present. 💪🏽 Standing in solidarity with @sucaad.irl ✊🏽 #antiracism #antiracisteducation #antiracismireland #speakupspeakout #belonging

#CreativelyMe returned last Friday with an episode dedicated to the @irishbookawards 📚 Here’s two of the incredible authors featured @leon_diop_ & @brianafitzsimons talking about the wonderful book #BlackAndIrish 📖 Stream the full episode now on @spotify & @applepodcasts @littleislandbks @black_andirish

How does Anti-Racism & Anti-Bias CPD actually fit with the new primary curriculum? 🤔 Short answer: it already does. The new Primary Curriculum Framework places a strong focus on inclusion, wellbeing, and diversity — and schools are now engaging in national rollout training to bring this to life. One action school staff can take? 👉 Engage with targeted CPD to build your understanding of intercultural education and diversity in practice This course supports you to: ✔️ Translate the framework into real classroom practice ✔️ Embed inclusive and intercultural perspectives across subjects ✔️ Reflect on teaching, learning and assessment approaches ✔️ Support whole-school alignment This isn’t extra work — it’s support for the work you’re already doing. 🙌🏽 🎓 Anti-Racism & Anti-Bias CPD 🔗 Link in bio #primaryteachers #educationireland #newcurriculum #antiracism #inclusiveeducation

Covering historic and current figures from the worlds of the arts, sport, business, politics and social activism, Black and Irish by @brianafitzsimons and @leon_diop_ is a timely and important book, also celebrating everyday heroes. In 2023, it won our Teen & Young Adult Book of the Year. It is now nominated as one of the best Irish books of the last 20 years. The final list will be revealed on Monday 20th April. @littleislandbks #20YearsOfIBA

Over the weekend I attended the Department of Education and Youth’s Convention on Education — a space focused on shaping the future of education in Ireland. 📚✨ @education_ire I was there on behalf of the #CoalitionforInclusiveSchools, a group of national organisations, advocates and researchers working to build a more inclusive education system. It was great to be part of a diverse group of participants, including parents, students, teachers and education stakeholders. 🤝 The Convention is looking ahead to the development of “Our Schools, Our Future”, a national strategy due in 2027. Insights from a survey of 42,000+ respondents highlighted key concerns: • Rising student stress and the influence of technology 📱 • The need for supports beyond the classroom 🏫 • The growing complexity and diversity of student needs 🌍 A strong message throughout the weekend was that student wellbeing must be the foundation for success, alongside continued investment in educators. 🧑🏽‍🏫 We were also asked to imagine education in 2050 and what every student will need to access a truly high-quality, inclusive education. Personally, I would have liked to see more targeted conversations about the need for #CulturallyResponsive and #AntiRacistEducation, but perhaps those discussions are still to come. Important conversations — and only the beginning, with three more Convention meetings planned this year. 🌱 #IrishEducation #FutureOfEducation

So incredibly honoured to have our book named one of the @irishbookawards top children’s books of the past 20 years! 🙌🏽✨ If you loved reading Black & Irish: Legends, Trailblazers & Everyday Heroes as much as @leon_diop_ and I loved writing it, we’d be so grateful for your vote: www.irishbookawards.ie/20th-anniversary-vote 🗳️💚 @black_andirish @jesslovedraws

Shocking but true: 1 in 4 ethnic minority students in Irish secondary schools experience racism regularly. These statistics come from a new report by the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union — and the findings are deeply concerning. ▪️ 41% of minority ethnic young people reported racism from classmates ▪️ 15% reported racism from teachers These numbers highlight the urgent need for real change in our schools. The report calls for: ✔️ Clear anti-racism policies ✔️ Proper systems to report and record incidents ✔️ A more inclusive curriculum ✔️ Anti-racism training for teachers If you’re an educator who wants to take action, I’ve created an Anti-Racism & Anti-Bias CPD course to support teachers on this journey — with resources, classroom activities, and guidance on inclusive practice. 📊 Read the full report from the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union 🎓 Access the Anti-Racism CPD 🔗 Both links are in my bio. Well done to Bel, @lucymichaelresearch and everyone at the ISSU for getting this much needed research out there 👏🏽 #antiracism #educationireland #teachersofireland #inclusiveeducation #irishschools @lucymichaelresearch @nyci.ie @inarireland

What happens when everyday comments, questions, or “jokes” quietly chip away at someone’s sense of safety and belonging? Episode 6 || Series 2of The DEeP Table explored a powerful and necessary question: Do microaggressions constitute racism? Hosted by @ebunjoseph this conversation brought together leading voices in anti-racism, youth advocacy, migration studies, and community activism to unpack how these experiences show up in real life—and why they matter. So, what are microaggressions? Microaggressions are often described as subtle or everyday slights, but the panel challenged whether the word micro truly reflects their impact. While they may appear small or even unintentional, their cumulative effect can be deeply harmful, particularly for people from racialised and marginalised communities. These experiences can include: • Being told you are “so articulate” as a backhanded compliment • Being repeatedly asked “where you are really from” • Having your name mispronounced without effort to correct it • Assumptions about language ability or competence • Being excluded in subtle ways in schools, workplaces, or social spaces On their own, these moments may be dismissed. But over time, they can affect mental health, confidence, and a person’s sense of dignity and safety. Microaggressions don’t exist in isolation A key theme from the discussion was that microaggressions are not just interpersonal misunderstandings. They are connected to broader systems of racism and societal ideas about who is considered “normal” and who is seen as “other.” Even when unintentional, they can reinforce unequal power structures and contribute to environments where some people constantly feel they must prove they belong. Thanks to Dr Brid Ni Chonaill, @bulelanimfaco , @brianafitzsimons and @lucasistired for an awesome panel discussion. Part 2 of this summary will drop later today. Watch out. In the meantime, watch full episode here: /live/FEnqbwn0Mw4?is=2aV0lH_EL71BzJYN Save the date: 21st March, 2:00-4:30, we will be launching a new documentary ECHOES of 2004

The closing episode of Part 1|| Series 02 don’t miss it! Plan to join the studio audience