This week on the Chik Chat Podcast, I was joined by Orla and had an amazing conversation about Race Equality in Northern Ireland and the world in general.

Orla McKeating, whose pronouns are she/her, is an EDI (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) Leader, Entrepreneur, and Speaker from Belfast, Northern Ireland.

In 2019, Orla founded Still I Rise Diversity Storytelling, an initiative focused on providing learning through storytelling sessions and workshops for children and young people, as well as training for adults and educators. The platform addresses important issues often absent from traditional storybooks, including race, neurodiversity, male mental health, LGBTQ+ topics, inclusive language, disabilities, diverse families, immigration, and more.

As a writer and speaker, Orla specialises in race issues, stigma, and inclusion. She has delivered two TEDx talks: one on race issues and the stigma surrounding single parenting (Stormont, 2019) and another on "The 3 Pillars of Privilege" (Enniskillen, 2022).

Orla is also a fellow of the Acumen Academy, known as the world’s school for social change, where she honed the skills, values, and moral leadership necessary to address poverty and injustice.

Her mission is to create trusted spaces that celebrate all individuals, fostering inclusion, acceptance, and ensuring that all children and people feel seen, heard, valued, and celebrated.

Orla resides in Belfast and is a single mother to her mixed-race son, Elliot, aged 11.

Instagram: @therealorlaveronice

Facebook: Orla McKeating

X (formerly Twitter): @orlamckeating