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Miman's Story

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The project “Miman’s Story” was supported by Humanity in Action as a grant competition project.

Miman’s Story is a multimedia educational resource on racism against Roma and Sinti to accompany the 90-minute long documentary film “with WINGS and ROOTS”. The “Miman Study Guide” received funding through the 2015 Humanity in Action Grant Competition. The aim of the “Miman Study Guide” is to produce discussion guides and video modules. The material focuses on the story of Miman, who was born in Germany to Roma guest worker parents and is now pursuing social work that focuses on Roma-refugee families. The Study Guide was written by Hajdi Barz.

The goal of this project lies in the production of teaching materials that convey complex issues in a comprehensible way and in filling a gap in the existing educational tools against Antiziganism. The materials are prepared for students ranging from the high school to the undergraduate level and are made available on an interactive website.

The videos profile Berlin-based social worker, Miman, a German Roma working with Roma refugees. Miman’s parents immigrated from the former Yugoslavia as so-called “guest workers,” and although he was born in Düsseldorf, he does not have German citizenship.

The Miman’s Story addesses the deficit of educational materials addressing Gadjé-racism – the structural and interperonal racism that Roma people are subjected to by social majorities across Europe.

He is the only member of his family open about his Roma identity. Through the videos, Miman addresses the present and historical dimensions of the discrimination faced by Roma communities, and also shares his own experiences of exclusion, as well as his personal struggles with belonging and resistance.

Miman addresses the present and historical dimensions of the discrimination faced by Roma communities, and also shares his own experiences of exclusion, as well as his personal struggles with belonging and resistance.

Accompanying the videos is an interactive study guide with historical background information for educators, discussion questions about the videos, supporting activities which deepen engagement with the topics, as well as exercises that encourage students and educators to “Take Action.” The materials are a tool to raise awareness in both educators and young people to the history and current situation of Roma and Sinti in Germany, stimulate critical reflection and offer spaces for empowerment and solidarity for students from various communities.