ROMA women living in Cork say they are being denied access to shops and kicked out of supermarkets because of preconceptions about their ethnic community.A number of Roma women living locally broke their silence on various upsetting incidents that saw them singled out for their ethnicity.The group is speaking out against discrimination as part of The Echo’s Rejecting Racism series.Gabriella Ulita described how she was recently told to leave a store with her children because of the way she was dressed. She said that in many cases, storeowners associate her traditional dress with women who steal. One particular incident, she said, led to her feeling upset and ashamed.MsUlita’s husband Luciano, a pastor — who earns a living as a taxi-driver — has spent years trying to stamp out begging in Cork’s Roma community.Since founding the Apostolic Church in Mayfield Business Park almost three years ago, he has been working tirelessly to change perceptions around his community. While serving as a pastor in the church, he inspired a number of Romani people, involved in activities like begging, to turn to Christianity.
