Biljana Tasić is a teacher of the Romani language at the "Branko Pešić" Elementary School, the only one in Belgrade where Romani is taught as an optional subject. Her path to education was not easy - she and her two older sisters were raised by a single mother. As she says, all three, now academic citizens, had the most problems in elementary school, where they were the target of peer discrimination.
In addition to discrimination, poverty and early Romani child marriages, which, Tasić emphasizes, are not part of the Romani tradition, represent the biggest obstacles faced by young Romani men and women. - I know it is not easy when there is no one, when poverty presses in, when the cold presses in, when there is no food, clothes and shoes. It's all very difficult, but it's not impossible to overcome. That's why I would like to encourage everyone, dream your dream and don't give up on it because someone will discourage you and say you're not for it - says Biljana Tasić for "Blic" television. Such motivational words are not lacking in her pedagogical approach, so it is not surprising that she is one of the favorite teachers at school.
She instilled good work habits in Aleksandar and Filip Trajković. They are currently finishing high school and making academic plans. In their free time, they play music, and have recently been active in the National Theatre. Although they are now accepted in their immediate environment, this is not always the case. Ugly words affect them, but as they mature, they learn to ignore mean comments.
- I meet mostly every day, sometimes less sometimes more. It mostly happens in society, those looks, sometimes I hear whispers among people. No one will sit next to me on the bus - say the Trajkovići.
