Reflections from The Black & Irish Experience × APNI Summit

The Black & Irish Experience × APNI Summit was one of those moments where you could

truly feel a community coming together. From the first conversations in the hall to the packed room at TU Dublin, there was a shared excitement you couldn’t miss. Two organisations, both committed to visibility, inclusion and progress.

Volunteering at the event gave me the chance to see everything up close. I met students, new graduates, ambitious early-career professionals and leaders who have shaped the Black and migrant experience in Ireland for years. What surprised me most was how quickly people connected. Even though we all came from different disciplines and backgrounds, the conversations flowed naturally. There was understanding, there was honesty and there was pride.

The storytelling throughout the day was powerful. People shared what it means to build a career in Ireland while carrying identity, culture and ambition. Listening to those experiences reminded me how much it matters to have spaces where we don’t need to explain ourselves, where our stories land gently because others have lived something similar. Seeing people encourage each other, exchange advice and celebrate each other’s wins made the room feel supportive in a very real way.

The partnership between Black & Irish and APNI highlighted the strength of our community when we collaborate. It made the future feel full of possibility. You could see how fast the Black and migrant professional community in Ireland is growing in confidence, in representation, in leadership. It felt like the start of something bigger.

When the day ended and I stood in front of the event banners, I felt proud. Proud of the

people in the room, proud of the conversations that took place and proud of the community that is rising. But more than anything, I felt hopeful.

If this summit taught me anything, it’s that you don’t grow alone. Community matters.

Connection matters. And there is power in finding spaces that make you feel seen, supported and understood.

To anyone looking for community: keep showing up, keep connecting and keep finding

rooms that feel like this one. Because when we stand together, we don’t just move forward rather we lift each other with us.