Meet the Alice Academy Activists

Introducing the Activists

Over the last few months, we received nearly 80 applications for the first-ever Alice Academy for Activists, a free residential bootcamp for aspiring activists to learn campaign skills from leading campaigners and communications professionals.

A big thank you from #TeamAlice to everyone who applied. It was inspiring to hear from people across Ireland with the same passion for and commitment to positive social change that we have here at Alice.

We had the very difficult task of selecting just 21 participants. And today, we can share them with you. Get ready to be inspired as we introduce you to this year’s activists.

Abdulai Mansaray

Originally from Sierra Leone, Abdulai lived in Direct Provision for over three years when he first arrived in Ireland. He is the founder of Kingdom Heritage Foundation Sierra Leone, which supports children through education and advocacy. He is also a Law student and a Community Link Worker, providing support to refugee families, young people and children in North Inner-City Dublin. His activism focuses on advocating for the rights of refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants.

Aishling Silke

Aishling is an Assistant Professor in Early Childhood Education at Dublin City University, and has spent over 15 years advocating for high-quality, affordable and accessible Early Childhood Education and Care. Prior to joining the Academy, she had decided to run as a Social Democrats candidate in the 2024 local elections.

Andrea Reilly

From Co. Tipperary, Andrea is a young student, who spent 18 years in foster care. She has Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, and her activism is focused on securing better supports for children with additional needs who are growing up in care.

Becky Long

Becky has worked with Children’s Books Ireland in various capacities, including as a Book Doctor, since 2016. She is currently their Education Outreach Manager. Her activism is focused on children’s and young people’s culture, especially the narratives that are produced for them and about them – she believes every child and young person has the right to be a reader, and to express themselves creatively through stories.

Briana Fitzsimons

Briana grew up in Yonkers, New York, and has lived in Ireland since 2017. She has been working in the area of anti-racism in education since 2021 and one of her main goals is to empower teachers and young people with the tools they need to make sure everyone is seen, heard and feels a sense of belonging in all educational spaces. Briana joined the Black and Irish team in 2021 and, in 2023, published a book of the same name (co-written with her colleague Leon Diop, who also gained a place in the Academy).

Caitlin Breen

Caitlin is the Youth Activism Officer for Airfield Estate, where she supports members of Airfield’s Youth Board to become young activists and future leaders in the areas of food sustainability, sustainable agriculture and climate action. She is passionate about climate justice, sustainable food systems, and achieving a Just Transition for all people involved in sectors that will have to adapt as we lower our carbon emissions.

Christine Meehan

Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2006, when she was 34 years old, Christine went on to become one of the founding members of Thriveabetes. Realising the value and importance of peer support while living with diabetes, she and a friend organised the first Thriveabetes conference in 2015 – to provide inspiration, information and motivation for people with Type 1 diabetes. Christine’s activism is now focused on the establishment of a National Diabetes Register.

Claire O Sullivan

Claire is the Manager of Tinteán Housing Association in Waterford, and has worked for many years with those experiencing homelessness. She is passionate about the experiences of mothers, in particular, and the invisibility they feel when they are separated from their children. Claire’s activism is focused on creating homeless services that support women to see their children where at all possible, empower them to self-advocate for their rights, and acknowledge their grief and loss.

Clíodhna Ni-Pheadair

Clíodhna is the Food Poverty Campaign and Programme Officer for the Children’s Rights Alliance, where they work to bring about policy changes in the area of food poverty in Ireland.

Darren O Connor

An architecture graduate based in Cork, Darren’s activism is focused on addressing dereliction and the housing crisis, and advancing LGBTQ+ rights. By advocating for policy changes and community initiatives, he hopes to combat dereliction by promoting affordable, safe and accessible housing options for all; and to ensure that these housing solutions are inclusive and supportive of LGBTQ+ individuals.

Latisha McCrudden

Latisha is a member of the Irish Traveller community and is currently studying Law at the University of Galway. As a survivor of domestic abuse in her childhood, she campaigns for better domestic violence services and supports, as well as for Traveller rights. She hopes to run for election in the coming years.

Leon Diop

Leon is a mixed-race man from Tallaght, Dublin. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of Black and Irish, an organisation working on behalf of the black community in Ireland. He hosted the Black and Irish podcast on RTÉ and co-authored (with Briana Fitzsimons) the Black and Irish book, which won the An Post book of the year in the teen category in 2023.

Liliana Fernandez

Liliana is a migrant activist from Venezuela, living in Ireland since 2013. Previously a trainer and Integration Officer at the Immigrant Council of Ireland, she is deeply passionate about migrants’ political rights and integration. She delivers training to raise awareness about the importance of voting and getting registered to vote within migrant communities. She also provides mentorship and guidance to local election candidates from a migrant background.

Mairead Loughran Ryan

Mairead’s activism focuses on highlighting the ongoing impact of The Troubles on young people’s mental health. A qualified mental health nurse, she worked on the MyStoryYourStory steering group, a campaign launched in Northern Ireland on the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement to address how young people viewed mental health services. She went on to represent Ireland at the European Advisory Youth Network in Barcelona, and at the UN 70th anniversary Community Enrichment Project.

Nuria Zyden

Nuria’s activism focuses on raising awareness of and addressing the plight of her Uyghur community. She has lived in Ireland for over a decade, and is a founding member of the Irish Uyghur Cultural Association.

Raevynna El Messaoudi

Raevynna is a neurodivergent, biracial Trans woman from South Africa. Now based in Limerick, she is a senior ambassador for the Shona Project, a former Board Member for Transgender Europe (TGEU), and a facilitator for Trans Limerick Community.

Sam Galvin

When he applied to the Alice Academy, Sam was a student at the Cork Centre for Architectural Education. A union member, he advocates for employment rights, particularly better working conditions, security and pay for young people and those on the minimum and living wage.

Sara Hurley

Sara is a global citizenship education facilitator based in Dublin. She is a founding member of a collective of activists, educators, creatives and innovators working on climate justice issues.

Sorcha Killian

Sorcha is co-founder and Head of Finance and Operations for Hygiene Hub, a national charity tackling hygiene poverty. She was previously a recipient of the EU Next Generation Fund Impact Fellowship, and Social Entrepreneur Impacts programme, recognising her work developing innovative social care projects.

Tanya Kearns

Tanya is an experienced facilitator in community arts, social action and peacebuilding initiatives. Her activism is currently focused on preventing violence against women and LGBTQ+ folk in the nighttime entertainment industry in Belfast.

Tracey Mc Ardle

Tracey has worked in the youth and community sector for over 15 years. By participating in the Alice Academy for Activists, she aimed to raise awareness of gender based-violence, challenge gender stereotypes, and promote healthy communication, as well as addressing the issue of period poverty.