FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Agnes Portalewska
agnes@cs.org
(617) 441-5400 x14
Cultural Survival Announces New Strengthening Indigenous Women’s Leadership
in Community Radio Initiative
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (December 19, 2016) -- Cultural Survival is pleased to announce the launch of our Strengthening Indigenous Women’s Leadership in Community Radio Initiative. The initiative will support a cohort of Indigenous women in Central America through a series of training and network-building workshops enabling participants to gain leadership and practical skills in investigative journalism, community radio production, and technical equipment operation.
By building a strong network of support for the women who will represent diverse Central American communities, the initiative will increase the visibility capacity, and leadership of Indigenous women and enable them to use community radio as a medium for advancing gender equality and for the empowerment of women and girls in their communities.
This initiative complements Cultural Survival’s overarching programmatic priority of amplifying diverse Indigenous voices in media and ensuring Indigenous media producers have the skills, support, and network opportunities to communicate Indigenous perspectives and share information between their communities and international Indigenous and mainstream spheres. The cohort members will also be involved in the production of radio programming for Cultural Survival’s Indigenous Rights Radio program, which works with over 1,600 community radio affiliates around the world, reaching an over 10 million listeners annually.
“We are excited and committed to support Indigenous women in developing leadership in media, as for far too long women’s voices have been silenced and marginalized. Indigenous women face racism and discrimination: for being Indigenous, being women, and often for being impoverished economically. As mothers, sisters, wives, teachers, healers, and professionals, we have much to communicate,” said Suzanne Benally, Cultural Survival Executive Director.
About Cultural Survival
Cultural Survival’s goal is to support Indigenous Peoples self-determination and the advocacy of their Indigenous rights – the right to their lands and territories, the right to practice their cultures and speak their languages, and the right to control and sustainably manage their natural resources – so that they self-determine their own futures. Over 43 years of experience as a registered 501(c)(3) working with Indigenous communities has established Cultural Survival as a pre-eminent nonprofit organization experienced in global advocacy for Indigenous Peoples’ rights and with the expertise, partnerships, networks and communications to reach a global audience.
Our work on the front lines of advocacy with international Indigenous communities is predicated on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and our programming works to inform Indigenous communities of their rights, issues and threats affecting their communities. Our programs come from an understanding that the principles of community ownership, self-determination, informed citizenry, access to information and the freedom to organize and shape the future in a way consistent with one’s tradition, language, culture and community are the foundations of vibrant and durable communities.
For more information, please visit www.cs.org or email at culturalsurvival@cs.org
