Mercedes’ life is a story of double displacement and incredible transformation. She was born in Simferopol, where in the multicultural environment of Crimea, she felt comfortable with her Roma identity and was an excellent student at school. Her childhood dream was to become a lawyer to protect her relatives. However, in 2014, after the start of Russian aggression, her family was forced to leave their home and move to Kharkiv.

It was in Kharkiv that she first encountered harsh stereotypes and prejudiced attitudes towards Roma, which led her to start hiding her origin. This experience, compounded by a lack of support for her educational aspirations, resulted in her leaving school. Her world narrowed to household chores, and her dreams for the future seemed unattainable.

The full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, forced her family to flee for a second time. After surviving the first weeks under shelling in Kharkiv, the family of 12 evacuated to Zakarpattia. New challenges awaited them: a month living in an abandoned church in Mukachevo, nights at the Uzhhorod train station, and over a year in a school gym converted into a shelter for displaced persons. In Uzhhorod, Mercedes faced even stronger discrimination: she was denied jobs as soon as her appearance was seen.

A turning point came when she got acquainted with Roma non-governmental organizations. This opened up a world of new opportunities for her: she completed manicure courses, received a grant and opened her own studio, and later began working for the “Voice of Romni” organization. The girl who was once ashamed of her origin and afraid to raise her hand in class transformed into a confident activist who travels, speaks at international conferences, and inspires others. Today, as the only one from her family remaining in Ukraine, she sees her mission in developing the Roma youth movement, teaching other girls, and breaking stereotypes through her own example.