What happens when marginalised women become the researchers, storytellers, and advocates of their own communities?
HEROINES: Heritage of Emancipation is a groundbreaking initiative in Serbia that places Roma women at the centre of a powerful, participatory process called community mapping. This innovative approach empowers Roma women to document their lived experiences, identify local resources and challenges, and advocate for change—from within.
Unlike traditional research methods that speak about communities, HEROINES is led by them. From collecting stories and data to curating exhibitions and engaging policymakers, Roma women are actively shaping how their realities are understood—and how their futures are built.
The Heroines Project was awarded the Grand Prize at the 2025 European Prize for Citizen Science at the Ars Electronica festival in September. For our first conversation of the new season of IMPETUS Interviews, we speak with Ivan Đorđević, Senior Research Associate at the Institute of Ethnography of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, and one of the voices behind HEROINES.
We talk about how the project works, why it matters, and what lessons it offers for others working at the intersection of social justice, research, and cultural heritage. The conversation explores how community mapping is being used not just as a research method, but as a tool for self-advocacy, empowerment, and long-term change. It also highlights how the project is creating space for Roma women to be seen and heard—on their own terms.
Watch the full interview here:
