Kenyan refugee is Northern Ireland's first Black mayor
The Independent|April 30, 2024
Lilian Seenoi-Barr is set to become the first Black mayor in Northern Ireland. The local councillor, who arrived in Northern Ireland as a refugee, has been selected as the new mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council.
NADINE WHITE
Kenyan refugee is Northern Ireland's first Black mayor

This comes after she made history as the first Black politician to be elected to public office in Northern Ireland last year, when she was elected as a councillor in the Foyleside district of Derry.

Hailing her groundbreaking mayoral appointment yesterday, Kenya-born councillor Ms Seenoi-Barr said she’s “proud to be a Maasai woman and a Derry girl”. She went on: “I cannot express how much the honour of serving as mayor of Derry and Strabane means to me.

“The people of this city have taken me into their hearts and everywhere I go I never fail to be amazed at the warmth, kindness and generosity of the people who live here. Having initially come to Derry as a refugee facing an uncertain future, I can now truly say that my family have found their home.

“The significance of my appointment as mayor is not lost on me, and I will work for every single person in this city regardless of their religion, ethnicity or background. These are the values I have carried with me since getting involved in politics and are reflected in the ethos of my party.”

This story is from the April 30, 2024 edition of The Independent.

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This story is from the April 30, 2024 edition of The Independent.

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