Last year, I made a short documentary about the Dublin Migrant Woman Support Group. Founded by Trinidadian Shivonne Du Barry, the group originated as a Meetup group and provided support and a sense of community for migrant women living in Dublin. Through their regular “Tea & Talk” events, women from various countries, now living in Ireland, were able to come together and share their experiences with one another.
Since its formation, the group has evolved and expanded beyond one person’s vision. In its new incarnation — Migrant Women United — the group maintains its original ethos of informing and providing migrant women with resources and a sense of belonging, and it now has an organizational structure which includes several board members from countries such as Kenya, Croatia, Spain, Brazil Iran, and India. The group has also recently become a part of the National Women’s Council of Ireland.
Last week, The Circular spoke with chairperson Sandra Ruiz Moriana about how the group has grown, where it is headed, and what challenges are still faced by migrant women living in Ireland.
“We are migrant women with amazing expertise, talent and qualifications. We are ready to be a part of the [Irish] society — we are ready to be part of the change.” Sandra Ruiz Moriana
