Romani take lessons from Black Lives Matter

The Romani Flag

Romani people in Eastern Europe are joining protests in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States. That seems strange to some people, but not to Terrell, or any of the guests on this episode.

Host Terrell J Starr talks about his experiences being a Black man from Detroit visiting Ukraine, Georgia, and other Eastern European countries. He tells stories of meeting folk who are white but speak the language of oppressed people everywhere.

Joining him are three women with deep knowledge of the region, and what kind of similarities can be found in the experiences of groups that seem so disparate on the surface.

Chelsi West Ohueri

Joining Terrell is Chelsi West Ohueri, a cultural anthropologist from Jackson, MS. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies with appointments in the Department of Anthropology and the Department of African and African Diaspora Studies.

Sunnie Rucker-Chang

Also on the call is Sunnie Rucker-Chang, Assistant Professor of Slavic and Director of European Studies at the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Rucker-Chang examines literary and filmic works as they relate to the construction of minority-majority relations and formations of difference.

And from the heart of Roma country is Nada Greku, a graduate student at Central European University who is a leading activist for Romani rights in Central Europe and the Balkans.