UNLOCKING NEW HORIZONS IN ACTIVISM

2024 has been a journey of growth, learning, and collaboration for Pradeep Mahadeshwar with Queer Asian Pride Ireland and the Queer Spectrum Film Festival. While navigating challenges like limited institutional support, here, he celebrates all that they have achieved for queer people of colour in Ireland. Artwork courtesy of Queer Asian Pride Ireland.

Ireland holds vast potential for activism centred on LGBTQ+ immigrants and people of colour. While still a relatively new field here, its importance cannot be overstated. As a visual artist with a UX design background, I believe innovation and empathy can drive impactful change. Through design thinking—aligning intent, action, and results—we can reimagine how LGBTQ+ advocacy operates. The established LGBTQ+ leadership should know this. By fostering shared power, knowledge exchange, and creativity, we can empower new voices and bring fresh energy to our movement.

The resilience and passion within Ireland’s LGBTQ+ immigrant community are immense. These individuals are knowledgeable and hardworking; they bring unique perspectives and ideas. What they need are platforms that welcome them, spaces that amplify their voices, and systems that allow their ideas to flourish. “You cannot keep doing the same thing, the same way, and keep expecting something different to happen”—innovation and inclusion is the key. Together, we can create an inclusive and thriving ecosystem.

Looking back, 2024 was packed with meaningful events that showcased the vibrant spirit of our community:

March: We hosted Navigating New Irish Queerness: A Conversation on Mental Health with James Byrne at Outhouse, spotlighting the mental health needs of queer people of colour (QPOC).

April: We launched the Queer Spectrum Film Festival at Project Arts Centre—the first-ever Irish film festival dedicated to QPOC’s stories worldwide. We also launched the Queers Against Racism T-shirts in April.

June: Our Pride Potluck Picnic at St. Stephen’s Green was a beautiful celebration of community during Pride Month.

July: We proudly marched at Trans & Intersex Pride Dublin and collaborated with Limerick Alternative Pride to bring films from our festival to Ormston House.

August: We partnered with GAZE International LGBTQIA Film Festival, contributing to programming a special segment.

September: In collaboration with Sporting Pride, we launched Hiking with Pride, a beginner-friendly hillwalking experience for QPOC, immigrants, and allies.

October: We joined Love Tempo to host Queer Asian Pride Ireland’s Autumn Party, celebrating art, music, and community spirit.

November: We partnered with Wexford Pride to curate the Pride on Screen: Queer Voices, New Stories initiative, showcasing five powerful films from the Queer Spectrum Film Festival collection at Gorey School of Art.

I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Lee Isac, Valentine, and Anjana, whose unwavering support made everything we achieved possible. Activism, especially for LGBTQ+ immigrants, is not without its struggles. The housing crisis, cost-of-living pressures, racism, transphobia, and homophobia create stressful environments. But together, we’ve sown seeds of long-lasting, tangible change for Ireland’s growing QPOC community. A heartfelt thanks also goes out to Micheal and Jaime Nanci Barron of The Rowan Trust, Dr El Reid-Buckley, GCN, Paula Fagan from LGBT Ireland, GAZE International LGBTQIA Film Festival, James Byrne from Rainbow Minds, and the teams at Project Arts Centre, Outhouse, Sporting Pride, Love Tempo and the Irish Network Against Racism. With their support, we made meaningful strides toward a more inclusive future.

Activism is about listening with compassion, having open eyes and ears, and taking actionable steps to make a positive difference in people’s lives. It’s not rocket science; it’s about creating a world where everyone feels valued and included. As we look to the future, we must examine how anti-immigrant policies in larger countries impact Ireland’s LGBTQ+ immigrants. Are we building the social infrastructure necessary to embrace the future of new Irish queerness?

I remain optimistic that 2025 will bring greater support and acknowledgement from Ireland’s established LGBTQ+ organisations. Inclusion, diversity, and equality are more than just words—they are a promise and a lifeline for LGBTQ+ immigrants. I hope in the future the community will talk about internalised racism and ethnic inequality. As I reflect on this year, one thought resonates: “I am not marginalised unless you keep me out of your set margins.” Together, let’s continue to expand those margins and build a brighter, more inclusive Ireland for all.