Cultural Survival's community includes people from all walks of life, with beautiful stories to tell of your own about why you decided to become an advocate for Indigenous Peoples' rights. Sharing these stories further connects our community, provides much-needed solidarity and validation to our staff and partners on the ground, and helps us inspire others to join our movement. We are excited to spotlight members and former interns of our community and highlight your contributions and perspectives through our Cultural Survival Spotlight series.
Are you a former Cultural Survival intern or a passionate member of our community? We'd be honored to hear and share your story!
Marjorie Mandelstam Balzer, Cultural Survival Member
CS: Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
Marjorie Mandelstam Balzer: I am a Faculty Fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, of Georgetown University, and co-coordinator of the Indigenous Studies Working Group at Georgetown https://indigeneity.
CS: When did you first learn about Cultural Survival?
MMB: When I had a post-doc at Harvard, I knew the founders Pia and David Maybury-Lewis.
CS: What motivated you to become a member of the Cultural Survival community?
MMB: I've long advocated for "action anthropology" -- collaborative research that can have real impact on the lives of people with whom we work. Cultural Suvival represents this and has integrated Indigenous leaders and youth into its programs.
CS: Cultural Survival advocates for Indigenous Peoples' rights and supports their self-determination. Why is this cause important to you?
MMB: As elsewhere, Indigenous people of Siberia have had rough and zig zag relations with colonial and neo-colonial authorities. Self-determination in the Sakha Republic where I've done much of my fieldwork reached a peak as the Soviet Union collapsed, and degrees of sovereignty became possible inside Russia. But negotiated federalism has become increasingly problematic during the Putin regime, and with the disproportionate mobilization of Siberians to fight in Ukraine since 2022. I've been helping Siberian activists, and people who have needed to flee Russia as refugees.
Do you have a connection or interest in a particular country/region or one of our programs (e.g., Indigenous Youth Fellowships, Indigenous Rights Radio, Bazaars, etc.)?
MMB: While I focus on Siberia in my work, I appreciate the coverage on Indigenous Americas and have learned a lot from programs mentioned by Cultural Survival in its journal and seminars. Positive cases of empowerment have stimulated conversations with Siberian friends.
CS: Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
MMB: I have followed and admired the various directors of Cultural Survival, and was particularly excited when Galina Angarova, a Buryat woman from Siberia, became director [now former Cultural Survival Executive Director].
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