In her Center supported work, Diana Norma Szokolyai wrote a book of Romani poetry in translation. As a first-generation American of Romani Hungarian heritage, she translated the work of Romani poets such as Alexandre Romanès, Magda Szécsi, and Bronislawa Wajs (a.k.a. Papusza)—many of whom have not yet been translated into English.

Of poetry and translation, Szokolyai explains: “Poetry can be a powerful vehicle to bear witness to authentic Romani stories that need to be told…Today, many Romani people are disenfranchised and continue to suffer from systemic and targeted racism… Even in the face of oppression, the Romani people have remained resilient and have a vibrant culture with a shared language and traditions that have endured centuries. Reading Romani poetry in translation is invaluable to our development of more multifaceted perspectives and part of the work of anti-bias education.”

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Twitter: @DNSwrites

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