Findings
1. Most of the Fellows are familiar with the concept of intersectionality.
Four of the six Fellows of Ashoka Romania self-identified as being very familiar with intersectionality, while two of the Fellows were less familiar. Even in their responses to other questions, Fellows indicating more familiarity with the concept showed that there was still more to be learned. Additional education and trainings on the topic could prove beneficial. In addition to Carmen's organization's focus on intersectionality, the OCCRP, Paul Radu's organization, has "finalized a strategic plan that makes inclusion central to [their] work."
2. The six Fellows serve individuals with overlapping social identities.
There is an overlap between the social identities present in the communities each Fellow serves. The majority of the Fellows work with individuals who are ethnically Romanian, Hungarian, and/or Roma and cis-female and/or cis-male. Additionally, individuals in the communities the Fellows' organizations serve often belong to the middle class and speak Romanian and/or Hungarian. As the Fellows serve similar communities, they would likely benefit from employing collaborative approaches focused on intersectionality because it would allow them to work together more effectively and expand their reach.
3. The Fellows have similar motivations for engaging in their field of work.
The Fellows’ similar motivations for partaking in their work creates a basis for promoting collaborative approaches between them because they have a foundation of shared inspirations. Similar motivations can create trust between members of a collaborative partnership. With the noted overlap between themes, the Fellows have the potential to engage in an intersectional relationship built on trust and the sharing of similar ideas, all vital parts of collaboration.
4. Stakeholders seem to be unfamiliar with the other organizations in the Ashoka Fellowship in Romania.
The familiarity these stakeholders have with the other Ashoka Fellows’ NGO’s can help determine if they are currently equipped for collaboration focused on intersectionality. A majority (69%) of participants indicated that they were not familiar with any of the other organizations. This means that the six organizations are not well-known by people outside of them. As interpersonal relationships are vital to collaboration between organizations, this lack of familiarity could be impacting the organizations’ ability to collaborate. Interorganizational gatherings, even informal ones, can develop trust between the organizations, further contributing to future collaborations. Increasing the familiarity stakeholders have of the other organizations associated with the Ashoka Fellows in Romania would boost trust, build relationships, and open doors for future collaboration between the organizations.
