This story was originally written in Romanian, and is posted on the website for Teleleu. The read the story, click here.
A Romanian Roma family left the country in 2012 because of racism and corruption—Nicu Ion, his wife Daniela, and their daughter Alesia. Daniela and Nicu studied at universities in England, and Nicu became a math teacher. In 2021, he was elected as a local councillor in the city of Newcastle.
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Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Nicu Ion together with Mayor Habib Rahman and Deputy Mayor Karen Robinson. Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Counselor Nicu Ion. Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Counselor Nicu Ion at the Romanian community center in Newcastle. Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Counselor Nicu Ion in his Newcastle apartment. Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Counselor Nicu Ion at the Romanian community center in Newcastle. Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Counselor Nicu Ion and his wife, Daniela, at the Romanian Community Center in Newcastle. Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Counselor Nicu Ion is making tea in his Newcastle kitchen. Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Daniela Ion at Sunday School with the children in Newcastle. Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Nicu Ion plays the organ with the band of the Holy Trinity Church in Newcastle. In the middle, on the guitar, is his younger brother. On the right, in a plaid shirt, Pastor George Dume prays with one of the parishioners. Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Daniela Ion at Sunday School with the children in Newcastle. Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Counselor Nicu Ion, his wife, Daniela, and their daughter, Alesia, in their living room in Newcastle. Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Counselor Nico Ion. Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Counselor Nicu Ion goes shopping for chili con carne; is going to cook for 12 people at the Romanian community center in Newcastle. Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Counselor Nicu Ion cooks chilli con carne for 12 people at the Romanian community center in Newcastle. Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Counselor Nicu Ion cooked chili con carne at the Romanian community center in Newcastle. Community members remain to socialize after Sunday evening prayer. Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Counselor Nicu Ion helps Romanian immigrants at the Romanian community center in Newcastle. The young people he talks to have not received pre-settled, post-Brexit residency status, and now Nicu is helping them apply again. Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
Counselor Nicu Ion after his service at the Holy Trinity Church in Newcastle. Image by Cosmin Bumbuț. United Kingdom, 2022.
March 11, 2022
