5 Stories to read on International Romani Day
- Text by Huck
- Photography by Cristina Salvador Klenz
Today, April 8, marks International Romani Day. With discrimination against Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) communities remaining “troublingly persistent” in the UK and beyond, we stand in solidarity with members against racism and oppression.
To mark the occasion, we revisit five Huck stories that celebrate the beauty and resilience in Romani communities and cultures from the UK to the West Coast of the USA, while highlighting the systematic racism and oppression they face.
HORSING AROUND: A WILD WEEKEND AT APPLEBY FAIR
The Travel Diary — Every year, a tiny town in Cumbria, UK, plays host to the Appleby horse fair – the largest gathering of Travellers in Western Europe. Read here.
A GLIMPSE INSIDE CALIFORNIA’S ROMANI COMMUNITIES
Between 1990 and 2003, Cristina Salvador Klenz spent time documenting a Roma community in the US. Her photos offer a vital insight into their everyday lives and the stigma they face. Read here.
HOW GYPSIES WERE LEFT BEHIND DURING THE PANDEMIC
Forgotten voices — GRT communities are some of the most marginalised groups in the UK. As Covid-19 exacerbated inequalities they face from living conditions to education, many are now at breaking point. Read here.
AN INTIMATE PORTRAIT OF SOUTH LONDON’S GYPSIES, ROMA AND TRAVELLERS
Capturing community — A project bringing together archival images of GRT people in South London seeks to allow the community to tell their stories on their own terms. Read here.
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT ANTI-GYPSY RACISM
Forgotten victims — For centuries, Romani people have faced violent oppression – so when will we start talking about the racism they face? Read here.
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