Denise Charlton
Chief Executive of The Community Foundation for Ireland
I've been very lucky in my life to have had the opportunity to pursue a career and work in social justice. This was always my dream and thankfully, I had the opportunity to go to college and study social science which was the start of my journey into this work. I was so privileged to be part of campaigns and movements where I got the support and benefited from volunteering and working with leaders who challenged the status quo and achieved incredible, progressive change.
Every day I am thankful that I have had the opportunity to campaign side by side with some of the most inspirational changemakers in the country. None of this would have been possible without the tremendous support of my family at home, in the first place from my parents and siblings, and then of course my partner Paula and our two sons.
In earlier years, growing up in Dalkey and going to school in Bray, I was interested in the subject of Social Science. It really was where it all began. Taught both at home and at school to question the status quo, to interrogate the impact of policy and to challenge inequality, it really was a very formative period in my life. This was also all from the perspective of being a member of the LGBTQ community which was in a completely different space than it is today.
In terms of starting a career my first choice was to pursue social work, which led to a placement in London. Like many people at that early stage of their working life I did feel pulled in several directions and maybe it was the bright lights, but I landed a position in marketing and communications. Working with some of the biggest household brands and bringing their messages to life was an important learning curve about communications and its ability to inform, increase awareness and ultimately, at its most powerful, to change people’s hearts and minds.
However, the pull towards that early interest in social issues and equality was always there and after many enjoyable years I opted to take the long passage home to Dublin, via a volunteering stint in Tanzania.
Dublin was changing with some early signs that the power of the establishment was beginning to slip. While working in PR I was also volunteering for Women’s Aid, one of several support groups who were not just providing frontline assistance but were determined to bring issues which had been hiding in plain sight for too long into the spotlight.
My volunteering evolved into a newly established communications role – I never knew then that it was the beginning of a stint which would see me rise to the Chief Executive Role. All of us involved in civil society know that you can have many roles, often at the same time. It was extraordinarily busy, sometimes frustrating but also inspiring to be playing a part in shaping a society which you could see slowly emerging from the grip of conservative powers.
What was to follow were opportunities to stand side by side with some of the leading campaigners of our time, Monica O’Connor at Women’s Aid, Sr Stan at the Immigrant Council of Ireland, Dr. Grainne Healy and the late Noel Whelan who were there every step of the way on the road to Marriage Equality, former President’s Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese who brought their own perspectives and insights to a country which was now undergoing rapid change. They have all given us a legacy of strong and robust voices across civil society – I believe we are a better country as a result.
And now at the Community Foundation for Ireland, which is at the very centre of it all. The passion, commitment and energy of the team ensures that not only are we a significant source of funding but we offer insights, knowledge and research on some of the most pressing issues of our time. Every day we are in touch with organisations across the country. This engagement with more than 5,000 partners gives us the ability to see emerging challenges, to identify solutions and then to see how they can be implemented. This proved invaluable in keeping vital lifeline services going through Covid-19 and we see it again as communities rally to support refugees from Ukraine.
Denise was honoured as part of the 2020 Herstory Light Show. Her image is seen here illuminating Galway Museum
The Pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the inequality of poverty and all against the backdrop of climate change can seem overwhelming. It would be foolish to under-estimate the impacts of each of these individually let alone when you step back and look at them collectively. Once again families on low income, communities like Travellers and immigrants, minorities like sections of the LGBTQ community, are all being unfairly asked to shoulder the burden. It can seem daunting.
Yet against that I am fortunate to see the generosity of donors, their commitment to positive change and how together we face these challenges. To be part of diverse partnerships with amazing organisations and communities who are making a difference every day is such a privilege. This positivity, this partnership approach, gives me huge hope for the future.
I look also at my sons, Benan and Cian, as they grow up in a campaigning household. They were our inspiration for involvement in Marriage Equality and many other issues that have and will affect their future. They are not afraid to ask questions, to challenge and hopefully to observe, how the status quo can be challenged, and change achieved. This new generation has a voice and is not afraid to use it. They know the actions which must be taken and are not content to be spectators. That is where the hope lies. It is certainly where I now draw my inspiration from.
Thank you very much to Denise for sharing her story with us.
You can keep updated with the work of the Community Foundation for Ireland through their Twitter account: @CommunityFound
Want to read about historical LGBTQ+ women? See our photo essay here.