Polish DJ and activist Wirginia Szmyt, 85, rocks out with huge headphones over her white hair as she dances with a drag queen on a float at the Warsaw pride parade.
Known as DJ Vika, she is an energetic great-grandmother on a mission to challenge stereotypes.
“Old age is not a disease,” she declares, sporting colorful bracelets on each wrist that match her vibrant personality.
“This doesn’t mean you have to sit around and do nothing,” she tells AFP.
Through her performances, Vika expresses her support for seniors and advocates for gender equality, LGBTQ rights, and a more inclusive and accepting Poland.
“I stand for unity, equality, love, tolerance, and openness,” she says before her Pride performance in June.
“All of this allows someone to live joyfully.”
– LGBTQ inspired –
After retiring from her career in youth rehabilitation at a correctional facility, Vika started organizing events for senior citizens to help them adapt to the modern age.
What began as educational events expanded to include parties, music, trips to the seaside, and celebrations.
“In our country, there was no tradition of providing something for the elderly,” she explains.
“Seniors were seen as those who took care of the family.”
Since 2013, Vika has organized seniors’ parades, inspired by LGBTQ pride parades, with the first drawing 14,000 participants in Warsaw.
“I felt that since seniors were perceived as bothersome and old, we should have a parade to show how wonderful they are,” Vika shares.
These seniors’ parades now take place in several Polish cities each year, while DJ Vika’s music career of 26 years continues to thrive.
“If we want to fight for our rights, we have to show up,” she asserts.
– ‘She does this for us’ –
Aside from performing at various events globally, DJ Vika hosts a dance night for seniors at Warsaw’s Mlociny shopping mall.
Here, attendees enjoy music ranging from Latin hits to Eurovision songs and Poland’s own disco polo from the 1980s, coming together for a night of dancing and fun.
“Music brings me to life,” Vika shares, aiming to unite people through her music.
She has built a devoted following.
Maria Michalak, a nurse in her 60s, commutes across Warsaw with her husband to attend the mall dance, praising it as the best among events for seniors.
Andrzej Jan Kuspik, a 73-year-old pensioner, is a regular at DJ Vika’s sets, expressing gratitude by gifting her flowers on International Women’s Day.
Despite frequent travel for her gigs, Vika has no plans of slowing down anytime soon.
“Each of us has a child within,” she remarks.
“If that child wakes up, we can feel younger.”
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