Jade Jordan is an Irish actress, born and bred in Dublin. Jade’s approach to life is one with empathy, honesty, and have fun along the way.
Jade and I sat down to speak about her career, how she became an actress, but also, more importantly, what it was like for her growing up in Ireland when racism was alive and well and is to this day.
Jade comes from a mixed-race Irish and she speaks to me about the racism her grandmother and mother faced after her grandmother returned from England having married a Jamaican man.
Jade has soared to prominence having shared her family’s experience on her Instagram page. A story that was sparked to life following the death of an African American man, George Floyd lost his life to the hands of a police officer in 2020. This for Jade and many the world over was the catalyst for change in a global society that requires systemic change.
His death sparked a pain in Jade that she has only ever experienced once in her life, and it motivated her to share the stories of her grandmother and her mum.
Jade speaks openly about traits of old Ireland and how stories get pushed under the carpet, however, she believes that the recent protests and on movement relating to Black Lives Matter are now moments in history that began the erosion of systemic racism.
I asked Jade to join me to help educate myself and others on what racism is on a local level, among friends and peers, and if it’s possible to remove racism once and for all from people’s minds. We discuss the importance of removing a preface before words we use to describe others and the importance of educating people at a young age that people are people, not black, white, or mixed race, leaders are leaders not female, transgender, or gay.
Is it possible to remove racism, by first removing words that cause subtle divisions in society and business? In doing so, encouraging respect, kindness, and empathy around the way we speak and treat others.
If you’d like to reach out to Jade you can find her on Instagram @jadejordan_88
