Maria Atanasova, MPS

Maria Atanasova is a Romani activist and scholar from Bulgaria, dedicated to advancing Roma rights and fostering systemic change. Drawing from her extensive activist experience, Maria has devoted her academic and professional pursuits to tackling social injustices and empowering marginalized communities. Her work encompasses critical areas such as human rights, anti-Roma racism, identity politics, and the memorialization of Roma persecutions and atrocities. Recognized for her commitment and impact, Maria was honored as the “Young European of the Year” in 2020 by the Schwarzkopf Foundation Young Europe.

Academically, Maria holds a BA in Midwifery from the Medical University of Varna and a master’s degree in Political Science from the Central European University in Vienna, where she earned an Advanced Certificate in Romani Studies. Currently, Maria is a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Maryland, pursuing a second master’s degree in Public Policy. Her research focuses on the intersection of international security and Roma rights, with particular emphasis on minority securitization in Central and Eastern Europe.

Maria is collaborating with the François-Xavier Bagnoud (FXB) Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University on her capstone graduate research project, under the academic guidance of Dr. Margareta (Magda) Matache, Director of the FXB Roma Program for Health and Human Rights. This project addresses police brutality and racial profiling against Roma communities in Central and Eastern Europe.