We spoke with Joanna Talewicz about the Netflix Poland show Infamy (Infamia), on which she was an advisor. It was a fascinating conversation about navigating media representation, behind the scenes with other Roma involved in the series, activism, and more!

Read our review of Infamy here!

Joanna Talewicz, PhD, is co-founder and president of the Foundation Towards Dialogue [Fundacja w Stronę Dialogu]. She is a researcher, educator, author, and activist. For twenty years she has been working for the benefit of the Roma community and minority rights. While her work focuses on Roma communities in Europe, her main topics relate to the Roma Holocaust and Roma refugees. A Doctor of Cultural Anthropology, she has also worked as an assistant professor in Jagiellonian University and University of Warsaw and is a graduate of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program at Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge. Joanna is a member of the Polish delegation in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), and a Batory Foundation Award winner for constant integration, educational, psychological, legal and activation assistance for refugees of Roma origin. She was nominated by the US Embassy in Poland to the “Award for Global Anti-Racism Champions”.

Her associations and experiences additionally include: the Alliance for Historical Dialogue and Accountability Program at Columbia University; the Leadership Academy for Poland; a grantee of the Fulbright scholarship; the Tom Lantos Institute; the European Commission Marie Curie program - Conferences and Training Courses on Multi-Disciplinary and Cross-National Approaches to Romani Studies; the Central European University; and the International Leadership Visitor Program of the U.S. State Department.

Foundation Towards Dialogue https://fundacjawstronedialogu.pl/en/home/

You can support the organization here.

Find on social media under the name Fundacja w Stronę Dialogu

Reports on Romani rights issues:
https://fundacjawstronedialogu.pl/en/reports/

https://fundacjawstronedialogu.pl/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Report_They-Are-Not-Refugees_They-Are-Travellers.pdf

Information on Edward Paczkowski : https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/tylko-w-onecie/rocznica-wyzwolenia-auschwitz-edward-paczkowski-rom-ktory-przezyl-zaglade/wyznn8t

Romanistan is hosted by Jessica Reidy/Jezmina Von Thiele and Paulina Verminski

Conceived of by Paulina Verminski

Edited by Cherub

With Music by Viktor Pachas

And Artwork by Elijah Vardo