Time for new beginnings

This is the last post for 2011. That is so amazing to me. 2011 has been a momentous year.
O Porrajmos Education Society was born this year with a mission to "serve as historians on the Rromani (“Gypsy”) nation, as a reliable resource on the current state of Rromani affairs, and as an advocate for the future prosperity of all Rromani. We seek to educate children and adults on these marginalized peoples, and work to be an active force for Rromani rights worldwide".

We took many steps this year, ones I was anticipating would be very difficult. We faced these obsticles as team and made headway that surprised even me, the optimist of the group.

O Porrajmos Education Society

We set our charter on January 17, 2011 and then established some long and short term goals. Our goals for this year were based on three categories: education outside of the Society, creating a usable archive for researchers and students, and fundraising for events and educational materials. Two of these goals, the archive as well as fundraising, are long term goals and will never be complete. The other, education, was to begin immediately and within that goal we determined the steps we would need to take.

• Plan and create a museum display that was portable and flexible.
• Establish ourselves within the local school system as a credible organization.
• Seek out public family events were we could educate through entertainment.

With the museum display, our first task was to decide what would be the most important information the public needed to know. After several lengthy brainstorming sessions, we came to the conclusion that we must explain Rromani history in order to educate people of current events. We then had to design and create a museum display that could convey this information in a unique and entertaining manner. Studies have shown that the average American will walk away from an display in a museum within 17 seconds unless he/sh is engaged with it. We had to create something that would grab the people's attention and hold them, allowing them to be educated without realizing it. We needed a structure that could be easily dismantled, support the text and photos visually, and be adaptable to changing the text as needed. Our answer for the shape was a traditional "Gypsy" wagon. The wagon would allow us for sides to use and each side would be a different subject. The front of the wagon would have the title "Where We're Going," one long side titled "Who We Are,", the rear panel titled "Where We've Been," and the final side titled "Where We Are." This last section was for current events and the text panels here would be changed out depending on recent developments in Europe.


The 'topper'

The design would be interesting to Americans and draw them in. But how do you tear it apart for storage? Using a simple slot and grove design, we were able to create a box that would sit on top of another smaller support box. Where the windows of the wagon were to go, we would have photo panels with text panels below. The panels would stay in place using Velcro tabs, allowing them to be removed and even changed at will. We built small doors into both ends of the wagon allowing for a portable CD player to sit inside, adding the dimension of sound through music.



The base

When the plans were drawn out, we set out to find sponsors. The Wright Touch Bake Shoppe and Rapids Reproduction, both of Cedar Rapids, signed on without hesitation. Rapids Reproduction printed the text and photo panels and The Wright Touch Bake Shoppe gave us the funding to purchase the materials. Kevin Notestine volunteered to build it, so construction began in late March.

During construction, the Society was approached by The Iowa Summer of the Arts Campaign to present at an event called 'The Global Village.' Children would be given 'passports' with every country participating that day. Countries had to come up with a craft or activity for the children to do in order to get a stamp in their passport. We decided this would be the perfect opportunity to debut the wagon. Our new deadline for its completion was June 17 for delivery to the Global Village on the 18th.

Weather conditions made construction slow and we had a team of volunteers painting via flashlight past midnight the night of the 17th. We prayed everything would be dry that morning and prepared to drive 30 miles to Iowa City with a display that had never been assembled before. This was an act of faith. The following morning the paint was dry so we loaded up and headed to Iowa City.



At the Global Village, June 18, 2011

It took longer to assemble than we'd planned, but we did get it set up and spent the day talking with families. We had coloring sheets of the Rromani flag for the little ones and parents seemed fascinated with the wagon. Our efforts were successful.

Throughout the summer, requests came in about the wagon. Since its debut in June, it has been shown at seven events over the summer and early fall. The wagon has always been a work in progress and has a much more finished presentation than you see to the left. Currently the wagon is awaiting some touch up paint and a few repairs.


We are currently working on our goal of getting ourselves established in the local and now surrounding school districts. We've been sending information to the various districts in the area and now have two classes set up for this spring term and are expecting to book more in January.

Our third goal, to look for family events as venues for education, has also been successful. The wagon has been very popular and I have spoken at 3 different public venues, ones in which I was very surprised to be asked to participate. We are currently creating a mailing as well as an email newsletter to create more interest in speaking engagements, both in public venues as well as clubs and schools.

Next year looks bright. Between January and March I will be speaking to two local genealogical societies in the spring and will also be speaking at Beyond Rubies, a women's conference held annually at Kirkwood Community College here in Cedar Rapids. We have other opportunities we are working on and hopefully negotiations will continue in a positive manner.

We should also be able to apply for tax exempt status in 2012, which will make fundraising much easier.

We look forward to 2012 and anticipate it as a time for growth with opportunities to make a difference in the world. I am reminded this holiday season of a song by TSO. "If you want to arrange it/ this world, you can change it/ by helping a neighbor/or even a stranger/you know who needs help/you need only just ask." Together, we can change the world. I pray for your continued support thoughout the new year and that you will have a Happy New Year, Baxtalo Nevo Bersh, but baxt thaj sastipe!

Baxt,
Ciuin
Oleg
Ron
Debbie