Our pledge to Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities

Sean's story

Sean Smith, a PhD Creative Writing student, is from a Roma background and believes fostering more understanding and breaking down barriers is key to encouraging others like himself to go to University.

Sean was not only the first in his family to go to University, he was the first to take A Levels. Now a published author and academic, he is one of the few openly Romani people in history to pursue a PhD, which he hopes will provide a more accurate and realistic portrayal of the English Gypsies.

Both of Sean’s parents come from a Romani background although, by the time he was born, they had settled down and were living in a council house near Colchester.

At 60, Sean’s father can neither read nor write, having received very little formal education and spending no more than a few weeks in school at a time due to the constant harassment he faced by students and staff alike. Sean’s mum attended more regularly, but her family’s nomadic lifestyle meant she often had to change schools. Despite this, Sean’s parents still encouraged him to pursue further education.

However, with very little financial resources, Sean very nearly did not make it to Essex. He believed that University was not made for people with his background, and it wasn’t until someone made him aware of the possibility of student loans and he received his letter of acceptance that he allowed himself to picture a different future.

"I have had the ability and rare privilege to go to secondary school and got some really decent grades so just wanted to see if I could do something better with my life. I call it a privilege, for many English Romani kids are not aware they are even allowed into these spaces. Until I applied, and then later was inducted into the University, I truly believed I was not ever going to get the place. For many of us Gypsies, myself included, we have unfortunately internalised the fact we aren’t accepted or appreciated in many spaces, so to go to University was a shock and an inspiration,"  said Sean.

On the advice of his mother, Sean has, until very recently, always kept his Romani background hidden to avoid hostility. This was to ensure he had an easier education, recalling memories of how his sister, brother and parents were actively segregated in classes due to their identity. "My mum was separated from the rest of the class and regarded as a child with special needs; she was barely taught how to read. In one instance, she asked for books about Gypsies to be put in the library and she was promptly expelled. My siblings were often beaten and bullied for who they were, and my sister was nearly expelled for trying to report the abuse."

As he explained: "Gypsies are still heavily stigmatised . We have a false reputation for crime and violence, and we are constantly depicted as filthy and recklessly violent people. This is not the reality of what I am, and I refuse to allow others to accuse me of this. There was a key insightful moment in a life skills class when I was in year 9 or 10 at school. The subject of Gypsies came up. I had to keep quiet, but there were some pretty nasty comments made. To be in a position of watching other people invalidate your existence is not something you ever want to experience. It kills you slowly and frustrates you beyond belief knowing that, whereas with other ethnic groups, there is a level of caution and responsibility taken towards racism, the hatred felt towards Gypsies is an almost universal notion. It is an uncontested and easily overlooked form of prejudice that, unfortunately, for many is a acceptable fact, not a racism."

Since starting at Essex, Sean has found the confidence to be more open about his background and has been pleasantly surprised to find he has not experienced hostility within the University’s community.

He is, however, very much aware that that’s not the case for most Travellers: "My hope is that one day all English Gypsies can be open about their identity without the fear of harassment or prejudice. But for that to happen people need to understand our history, our culture and our demands for fairer treatment. My issues lie with the current Romani activists, academics and spokespeople, who I believe are unfortunately contributing to the outdated, Othering and Orientalising racist imagery that has plagued us for centuries. There needs to be a total revision of how we speak up for our rights and our identity, but also an encouragement from the wider public to take interest in us outside of misguided prejudices. If the public can at least acknowledge and criticise the wholly inaccurate and damaging depictions of the Roma, there is a chance in which a fairer world for Gypsies can be a reality."

As for his future, Sean plans to become a lecturer in Creative Writing and Romani Studies, having already started to collaborate with other academics and activists to provide a better, clearer and more honest voice for Gypsies across the country.