The Welcoming Project hosted a Dance & Donate event online on zoom in solidarity with BLACK LIVES MATTER and people in Direct Provision in Ireland on Wed 17th June.

Invited guest teacher Yah’Ya Kamate, from Ivory Coast, who teaches West African dance at the Ailey Extension in New York led an online class in solidarity with Black Lives Matter protesters, joined by over 500 people through zoom and Facebook Live with more viewing the next day (over 1000 views now).  People joined in from all over Ireland, from the US, Canada and Europe (Dublin, Kerry, Leitrim, Wexford, Longford, Galway, Clare, Limerick, Cork, Belfast, Dundalk, Donegal, Toronto, Bologna, New York, New Jersey, Texas, Boston, Belgium & beyond).

The class was open to everyone, and featured a West African dance class with live drummers, guest speakers on racism and what we can do about it: Ato-Bakari (Common Unity New Jersey), Lucky Khambule from MASI (Movement of Asylum Seekers Initiative) Ireland and Irish artist Esosa Ighodara.

Please note that the details of events listed above are provided by the relevant Local Authorities.