Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
Growing up in Romania, Alexandra Bahor concealed her Roma heritage due to the discrimination she encountered as a child. Now based in Liverpool, she dedicates her efforts as a Roma activist to dismantle stereotypes and foster stronger collaborations between Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller (GRT) communities and the institutions that support them.
Alexandra’s background is deeply rooted in her Roma family in Romania, where she was the first to pursue higher education. She earned a law degree before relocating to Liverpool to complete an LLM at Liverpool John Moores University. This educational journey reinforced her passion for advocating Roma rights and social justice.
Reflecting on her early experiences, Alexandra shares, “I understood from school that I was hiding my identity because of the discrimination. I wanted to show people that Roma children can do something with their lives, and that education is the key.” Her belief in education as a transformative tool has guided her career, from working as a Roma community development worker linking families with Liverpool City Council to her current role supporting asylum seekers, refugees, and other marginalized groups in accessing health and education services.
Alexandra’s engagement with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month began after moving to the UK, contrasting with the International Roma Day observed on 8 April in Romania. She became involved in organising events in Liverpool starting in 2022 and sees this month as an important time to honour resilience and cultural contributions. “If you understand your history, you understand your background, and you know how to accept the present,” she explains. She emphasizes the significance of sharing these stories with her 10-year-old daughter to foster a sense of identity and understanding.
One of Alexandra’s key frustrations lies in the tendency to lump Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities together, overlooking the distinct histories and cultures each group possesses. She points out that even within the Roma community, there is vast diversity, with family roots spanning countries such as Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Spain, Germany, and France. “People find it easy to put us all under one umbrella,” she says, “But there are different needs, and you can only meet them if you understand those differences when designing policies and services.” Alexandra also challenges the misconception that Roma communities are “hard to reach,” clarifying that many families are settled and integrated locally. She highlights the importance of culturally aware and respectful services in fostering engagement: “When services are respectful, culturally aware and consistent, Roma communities do engage.”
Through her experiences working alongside universities, the NHS, and Liverpool City Council, Alexandra stresses that genuine partnership involves more than token consultation. Instead, she advocates for co-production and shared decision-making from the outset of any project. “Meaningful partnership means people are not just consulted once, but involved from the beginning in designing, delivering and reviewing projects,” she says. Recognition of Roma professionals’ expertise is also crucial; Alexandra recalls the difficulties some partners had accepting her professional role, noting, “Real partnership means recognising what we bring to the table.” She believes that trust is earned through consistent presence, not only during crises or when funding is available.
Beneath policy discussions lie real daily struggles faced by GRT communities, including discrimination in housing and employment, language barriers, and misunderstandings at school. Many families carry apprehensions about authorities rooted in experiences before arriving in the UK. Alexandra observes, “These challenges limit choices. Which jobs people apply for, whether they feel safe going to the doctor, how confident children feel in the classroom, and whether families trust services enough to ask for help.” Nevertheless, she celebrates successes when barriers are removed, citing the Roma Aspiration project at Liverpool John Moores University that has enabled young Roma people to pursue and complete university degrees.
Looking forward, Alexandra envisions a future where Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities are valued contributors and partners rather than seen as problems. She advocates for increased Roma representation in leadership, advisory roles, and research, alongside cohesive support across housing, health, education, and employment sectors. She also calls for the recognition of anti-Gypsyism as a distinct form of racism. “It could mean Roma families feeling safe enough to be open about their identity,” she states, “and young people seeing a future for themselves in Liverpool that includes university, meaningful work and being part of the city’s life.”
Alexandra encourages everyone to examine their own biases: “Question your assumptions. If you catch yourself thinking about Roma, Gypsy or Traveller people through a stereotype, ask where that image came from. Listen. Learn. And when you hear prejudice, challenge it.” She hopes that sharing authentic stories from Roma individuals will help shift perceptions. “Roma is not what you see on TV,” she affirms. “Roma is your neighbour. Roma is me. We are all human, in the end.” Each June, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month highlights the rich histories and cultural contributions of GRT communities while acknowledging the discrimination they continue to encounter. Reflecting this spirit, Liverpool embraces the importance of belonging and values every community’s story
Read the full article on Liverpool Express here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
