The CHID Legacies of Empires program connects with Romani communities in Rome. Italian Romani (commonly and pejoratively known as Gypsies) are dependent on informal markets to sell the recycled objects they collect from the garbage. The last informal market available to them in Rome—the Don Carlo Gnocchi Market—was recently closed, exacerbating the impoverishment of these communities. Thus, we experimented with a new strategy to spread awareness of their plight through performance. Students crafted stories for the marketable items collected by our Roma partners. With assistance from University of Rome III faculty, students pedaled the items to the formal shops in the posh and popular neighborhoods of Rome, asking shop owners to sell these items on behalf of our Romani partners. This short film documents their project.
I am entering my final year at the UW, studying Communications and CHID. In Winter 2016 I went on the CHID Legacies of Empires study abroad program, where I was able to explore myself both academically and artistically. My true loves are photography and videography, as well as attempting to make the world a better place.
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