Don’t Be Cruel: Photos of a Roma performer fighting discrimination, one Elvis song at a time

BUCHAREST, Romania — Tudor Lakatos is fighting discrimination against Romania’s Roma minority through the music of Elvis Presley.

Dressed in a rhinestone shirt and oversized sunglasses, Lakatos performs unique versions of Elvis’ hits in a mix of Romani, Romanian and English.

But don’t call him an Elvis impersonator. Lakatos says he “channels” Elvis as a way to connect with people from both communities and provide a role model for Roma children after centuries of discrimination and poverty.

___

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.