A Voice For the Voiceless

MISSION

The Advocacy Project seeks to help community-based advocates produce, disseminate and use information, and so become more effective advocates for human rights and social justice

Stacy Kosko and Dzeno

Stacy Kosko, a recent Massachusetts transplant, is currently pursuing her Master’s of Science in Foreign Service at Georgetown University, with a concentration in Conflict Management. She is also working towards a certificate in Refugee and Humanitarian Emergencies through the Institute for the Study of International Migration. She received her BA from Syracuse University in 2000, with majors in French, English, and Television/Radio/Film, leading her to travel to London to study media and to Brazil to teach English. 

As part of The Advocacy Project’s 2004 Summer Internship Program, Stacy Kosko, a graduate student at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, worked at the Dzeno Association, a media organization dedicated to promoting the rights of the Roma people.  Dzeno is based in Prague, Czech Republic.


Children perform at the Miss Roma 2004 pageant in Prague. Stacy wrote about the pageant in her June 25 blog.

Dzeno plays a critically important role in disseminating information about Europe’s eight million Roma, who have emerged in recent years as one of Europe’s most marginalized but active minorities. By strengthening Dzeno’s profile through a series of published articles, Stacy made an important contribution towards the overall goal of raising awareness of the struggles faced by Europe’s Roma.

The Dzeno Association was established in 1994 by Ivan Vesely, Chairman of Dzeno and a prominent Roma activist with over 15 years experience in the field. Mr Vesely also currently servers as the acting Media Commissioner for the International Romany Union. Today Dzeno is well known as a center for independent Roma media and information. It also provides information technical training service for the Romany population in Eastern Europe.

Stacy is worked directly with Mr Vesely and Jakub Krcik, another Dzeno official to improve the organization’s exposure and influence in Roma issues, and assist with written and spoken English news material. She also worked to strengthen the partnership between Dzeno and its international partners, including The Advocacy Project.

During the summer, Stacy posted weekly reports in the form of web logs (blogs). The blogs offer a unique view into the day-to-day operations of a grassroots organization, and into Stacy’s own personal experience as an intern.

Last summer, Georgetown graduate student Kimberly Birdsall interned with Dzeno as part of The Advocacy Project’s 2003 Summer Internship Project.

• Stacy Kosko's blog