Black and Irish: Legends, Trailblazers & Everyday Heroes Leon Diop and Briana Fitzsimons

In Partnership with Dublin City Libraries

Age 13+ years

Students will join authors Leon Diop and Briana Fitzsimons of Black and Irish (an organisation that highlights and celebrates the identity of black and mixed-race Irish people) for a special school event for ages 13 and up. Leon and Briana will discuss their new book Black and Irish: Legends, Trailblazers, and Everyday Heroes (Little Island) and engage students with stories of the black and Irish community. Leon and Briana will do a Q&A session at the end of their event.

This is a schools event. Expressions of interest should be emailed to info@dublinbookfestival.com.

Leon Diop is a 28 year old mixed race man from Tallaght. Born to an Irish mother and a Senegalese father. He grew up in a mixed ethnic and religious household. He studied Psychology in Maynooth University where he served two years as Students’ Union President. He is the founder of Black and Irish. An organisation striving to transform Ireland into a global leader in equality and inclusion. He is a host of the Black and Irish podcast with RTE. He currently serves on the boards of the Childhood Development Initiative, Tallaght and South Dublin County Partnership. 

Briana Fitzsimons grew up in Yonkers, NY, USA and has lived in Ireland since 2017. She has been a secondary school teacher for 12 years and also holds degrees in English and Creative Writing. Briana joined the Black and Irish team in 2021 and has been working to make schools across the country more inclusive for all students ever since. One of her main goals is to empower teachers and young people with the tools they need to make sure that everyone is seen and heard and feels a sense of belonging in all educational spaces in Ireland. She lives in Co. Kildare with her partner and two children and is proud to call Ireland home.