I know it’s not your job to educate people on your culture or anything, but I’m struggling to find any information on modern Romani culture outside of some old YouTube videos. Do you have any recommendations for websites, books, documentaries, etc. that you feel have good representation or are by Romani creators?
The majority of Romani in English-speaking countries are, to some degree, closeted. This is for our safety. Unfortunately, it means that (out) Romani content creators are few and far between. I hope this helps a bit.
A few resources you might find useful:
Born a Gypsy | A Documentary - YouTube
There’s a lot to love about this little-known documentary, in my opinion. The first thing most people notice is that the English Romany man they’re interviewing lives, works, looks, and sounds exactly like his gadjo neighbors... and yet, he still faces local and systemic prejudice. He also explains the difference between Irish Travellers and Romany. Highly recommended.
Romani or Gypsies? | Dijana Pavlovic | TEDxBocconiU - YouTube
Pavlovic is a well-known activist, and her talk here is very powerful.
Being Roma / Gypsy | Rebecca Bogdan - YouTube
Bogdan doesn’t have many videos up on her channel yet, but she’s open about her Romani heritage and her perspective is interesting.
The Roma in Europe: 11 things you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask | Amnesty International
Exactly what it says on the tin, from a reputable source.
Half Romani, Half Caucasian Bisexual Woman | Writing with Color - Tumblr
First-hand account of what it’s like to be Romani in the United States. Lots of discussion of stereotypes and misconceptions, particularly in media.
The Roads of the Roma: A Pen Anthology of Gypsy Writers
This book is a classic of Romani literature and history. A mix of prose, poetry, and history from Romani around the world. Excellent.
Here are examples of sources that need to be watched more critically:
The Struggle for Survival of the Roma People: Europe's Most Hated - YouTube
This is Vice News report (with nearly 1.8 million views) focused specifically on Romani living in and emigrating from Romania. It falls into a few racist traps by interviewing Roma who are struggling the most, likely for shock value. This is common in British media, particularly.
Few of the Romani interviewed speak English. Most are very dark-skinned, which is only one of the many skin tones for Romani. They don’t interview any Romani with jobs. While the stories they’re covering are important and true, they don’t balance the narrative with Romani who are working, going to school, buying property. These are the kinds of problematic tropes even sympathetic reporting easily falls into.
Who Are The 'Gypsies'? | NowThis World - YouTube
This video has 1.3 million views. Most of the facts here are right, but utterly devoid of context. For example, the host discusses Romani “tendencies to display their wealth and fortune, rather than saving the money in banks.” This is technically true, but ignores the fact that Romani have always struggled to get a bank account. Without a permanent address and/or credit, this can be impossible in some countries. Historically, many Roma didn’t trust banks because they had to sign all their paperwork in languages they couldn’t read. Romani also hate debt on principle, so they don’t like to take out loans.
It’s important to understand the bias of the sources being used to fact-check. The host here states outright that more Romani are settled into permanent housing now, but displays image after image of traveling families. Again, be mindful of this kind of subconscious racism.
