Fall 2013 DiversiTea Call Me Roma, Not Gypsy Dispelling Myths and Revealing the Truth
S
hrouded in mysticism and misconceptions, the Roma are more commonly known by a derogatory misnomer, Gypsies. Historically, Roma have been romanticized and demonized in literature and the media. In reality, this ethnic minority has endured centuries of discrimination, social disadvantage, and persecution at the hands of the dominant culture. Please join us in a conversation with Sabrina Deaton, PhD student with the UCF Department of Sociology, as she shares the history, myths, and culture of the Roma. Learn about their roots in India, their near-annihilation at the hands of the Nazis, and where they are today.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013 12:00 Noon - 1:30 PM Library Room 223 RSVP to diverse@ucf.edu by September 16, 2013.
Presented By:
Sabrina Deaton
The Romani Flag
Sabrina Deaton earned her B.A. in Speech Communication from Miami University and her M.A. in Interpersonal/Organizational Communication from the University of Central Florida. She is currently a doctoral student at UCF in the Sociology Department with her studies and research focusing on social inequalities of racial/ethnic minorities.
An artist based out of Australia, Mr. Jimmy Caleb Galindo Robles is the artist behind the Digital Rendition of the Romani flag on the front of this flyer.
Her master’s thesis entitled “Textual Analysis of the Portrayal of the Roma in a U.S. Newspaper” examines the serial media coverage of a Romani group and discusses the stigmatizing effects and implications that negative media portrayals have on this marginalized ethnic minority, to which she herself is a member. This research was recently presented at the Association for Educators in Journalism and Mass Communication 2013 Conference and is in the works for publication in an academic journal. Deaton’s thesis in its full form is currently available through the UCF library and also has been slated to be included in the Romani Archives and Documentation Center, which is housed at the University of Texas.
The following excerpt is from his website, http:// tatchodrom.net, where he writes about his art, poetry, and a variety of Romani topics. The current Romani flag you see above was founded in 1971, at the World Romani Congress near London. Since 1933, the Romani have had a flag, but it didn’t have the Ashoka Chakra in the center until 1971. To me, the Romani flag is an attempt by certain Romani authorities to bring a sense of oneness amongst the culturally diverse Roma. This is a blessing to many Romani Clans world wide. I know that many Roma want to be seen a people, not a life-style; Roma want to be seen as a culture, not a fashion; and the flag is a stepping stone to bringing this about.
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