Andreea Radu
Andreaa' Radu
Home Country
Andreea is a 14 year old girl who faced very harsh discrimination all because she is a Gypsy . Gypsies aren't very common around where she lived or even in the U.S . her home country is Vagliagli , Italy ,in Italy they don't like Gypsies ,resulting to Andreea having to face many difficulties with adults and even other children in Italy . She said it took her three hours to get to school, and her teachers would ask why she came late, but they wouldn't understand. The teachers at her school wouldn't give her food, and she couldn't buy food either. They would say, "You're a gypsy". ''They told the people that worked at the stores I was a Gypsy so i couldn't buy anything. " My friends stopped talking to me once they found out I was who i am , people would tell me i was gross and not to touch them."
Go to end of page to learn about her life here in the US today :
Challenges In Italy
Gypsies, or Romas, make up Italy's largest ethnic minority. Their community make up around 180,000 people. A census has been put out by the Interior Minister, Matteo Salvini, to find out who and how many Roma live in Italy. They have joked, "Unfortunately, those who have Italian citizenship, we have to keep - because we can't expel them." The Italian government and the Roma people are both to blame for the terrible living conditions , because in Italy where she lived you did not have to pay rent , all the homes were compacted into a large space , about 55 homes very close together with a small amount of poverty . It is up to the Italian people to accept this unique group of people. They have been discriminated against because their dark skin. They are portrayed as cunning, mysterious people who tell fortunes and steal before moving to another town. To survive they are continuously moving, which is why few go to school. They developed a highly insular or limited culture and lifestyle. They live in RVs and vans, but many do live in houses. Because of the discrimination they get, they only reveal they are a gypsy to others like them. Gypsies originated in northern India and have ancestors that lived in Europe as far back as the fifteenth century. There are people from Eastern European states too, like Romania. Gypsies might makeup most of the population in Italy, but the point of view on them aren't very positive.(For more information about gypsies visit BBC News. For more info about origin visit Berkley Center. For more info about discrimination of gypsies visit Live Science.)
From the Gypsies point of view ; they believe that their lifestyle is good , not right , but good . Most gypsies have to steal to survive. Gypsies mean no harm but it's what they have to do. For example , one gypsy woman who had 11 children lost her job. "The state doesn't help her," she says , "What else am I supposed to do?" Stealing isn't the only thing that Gypsies do. Gypsies also travel and have different beliefs .The Italians believe that the Gypsies are taking jobs from people born in Italy , but most are unemployed.Those are some of the most profound reasons that italians, and Romanians don't like Gypsies . (For more info visit NY Times.)
The Italian's point of view of gypsies didn't start overnight. Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini had introduced racial laws in 1938 that had stripped Jews of their rights and properties. This law eventually affected the Roma people and had faced deportation and internment to Nazi concentration camps. This started a lot of the controversy. In Rome, people at busy street market called Porta Portese can't seem to find anything nice to say about gypsies. "They are thieves," one stall owner says. "Just yesterday, some Roma people tried to steal my car! I hope Salvini makes them go away." Salvini is currently serving as the Deputy Prime Minister of Italy. Many Italians are tired of pickpockets and thieves around their community. A survey was done in 2008 that 68% of Italians wanted Roma people expelled from their country. Italians believe they chose a life of crime over an actual job and isolating themselves from taxes and society by living in illegal camps. These are some reasons why Andreea moved to the U.S. from Italy, where she was being discriminated against.
Life in the US :
Andreea's said she enjoys life in the U.S. She said she feels like a "New Person" from learning to speak some English, to not being judged anymore for who she is . She said she enjoys her school because she gets to be outside more and people are nicer . In Italy she didn't get to be outside and there was very small space with not many friends ,her teachers withheld her outside playtime because she is a Gypsy .She still has a fear of losing her friends here. "I go to school, if I say to my friends that I'm a gypsy, maybe they don't like me ."
About the Authors
Hermione Lam
My name is Hermione Lam. I am 14 and I go to Alvarado Intermediate School. I am currently in eighth grade. I am an outgoing person who likes being outside and active and hanging out with my friends. I participate in mathcounts, debate and CJSF at my school. I'm also a straight A student. I want to go to UCLA and become a doctor. I like spending time with my family and going places with them. I like to listen to music, do art, and relax.
My impression on this project was that is was very interesting and meaningful. It was interesting to learn about people's immigration story and what they experienced. It helped me answer the essential question because immigration has connected people with similar stories and experiences that are meaningful. Immigration has brought different cultures all to one place, and people from different cultures can experience all these different cultures. This brings us all closer. It is important to hear stories of immigration because these stories are part of people's lives, which is why it is so important that people knew about these stories. People can be understanding of one another if they knew what they went through. Stories can bring people closer who has similar experiences. Skills I used in this project was my interviewing skills, which are listening, and asking good questions. I also used my writing skills to type out the article about my interviewee and other class work relating to this project. Social skills I gained was working a partner and cooperating with them. Also working together to create this whole project and working with each other;s ideas. A personal lesson i learned is that everybody has a story. You might meet someone or someone you're friends with, but you don't really know them till you hear a story that really impacted their life. So many people have an immigration story, but you don't realize that maybe the person standing next to you have a really powerful or interesting story. Hearing immigration stories make you more aware to things that happen around us.
Mattie Lauren Flores
My Name is Mattie Lauren , I am 14 years old and i go to Alvarado Intermediate school, where I am a ASB member . I have a family of 6 , my mom and dad and my 3 sisters . I love to play Volleyball and practice track for my high school years . I am planning on becoming a designer / company owner and go to the Royal College Of Art in London , or a University like USC here in California near family.
This project has really just shown me how different everyone is and can be . i utilized some social skills with the interview because i had no idea who she was and where she was from and i go to know her and i learned a lot. I learned not to judge or stereotype people by the way they look cause once you learn their story it is honestly very cool . i'm thankful for this project because iv'e learned a lot that i didn't know iv'e learned to be way more grateful and thankful for my life and the education i have and i am able to receive .
