The Gràcia district of Barcelona is home to a Roma community of centuries-old origin. Its history dates back to the 19th century and dates back to the arrival of the Valentí family in Francisco Giner Street, very close to Plaça de la Vila. Restoring antique furniture and repairing and trading automotive parts are the jobs that have traditionally ensured employment in this community. "My father made a good living distributing the old Páginas Amarillas in the affluent neighborhoods of Barcelona," explains Ricard Valentí, activist and president of the Association of Young Roma of Gràcia. He works for his community in a place that the association has in Igualada Street. Passionate about history, he has a vital milestone: "I would like to get an important archive on the murder of hundreds of thousands of gypsies during the Holocaust. It is an episode of history that is little explored and studied, that is not told in schools and that we gypsies must spread ", he states.
The association was founded in 2012, when the Association of the Roma of Gràcia, which was created in 1986, was already a memorial. But he had set the bar very high. At first we had no premises and we met in La Barraqueta in Plaça del Raspall. In 2016, we formed a consolidated board.
Our job is to collect the demands of the neighbors and get outreach and donations by participating and organizing a food bank for families who need it, especially in times like the one we live in, where the restrictions affecting street vending have left without income many families. In addition, we offer training and program talks to learn about the history and language of the Roma people. We are mainly interested in fighting anti-Gypsyism and inequality throughout Europe.
