Dear Cultural Survival Community,
I am proud to share this latest issue of the CSQ magazine with you, dedicated to Indigenous youth. Indigenous youth are our future. They are the Seventh Generation. In my culture, elders are not identified by their age, but rather by their potential to contribute to the wisdom of our ancestors. The most powerful elders exhibit their elderhood at an early age. It is today like no other, we see our elders, young and older, rising as today’s time demands deep healing, decolonization, and Indigenizing our ways and life on Mother Earth.
Every day I am inspired by young people working to reclaim Indigenous lands, foods, identities, and knowledge; revitalize their Indigenous languages, traditions, and lifeways; and fight for representation, inclusion, participation, and the fulfillment of Indigenous rights and the protection of the planet. Indigenous youth are at the forefront of change and pushing for radical reimagination of what is possible. They are shattering colonial norms and Indigenizing spaces.
In this issue, we share the stories of Indigenous youth from five continents. They are taking action on climate change, revitalizing traditions, creating cutting edge media through an Indigenous worldview, advocating for youth and children’s rights, uplifting their communities through rematriation, entrepreneurship, and financial investment, as well as working on language revitalization and food sovereignty. Many are breaking stereotypes and becoming role models for other youth, ensuring that Indigenous representation matters. For some, the path to claiming their Indigenous identities has not been easy. But they are using their voices to create lasting change and raise awareness of the issues Indigenous youth and their communities face.
At Cultural Survival, we have long supported youth leadership in our programs. Most recently, our Indigenous Community Media Youth Fellowship has supported 33 youth since 2018, and our 2021 cohort includes another 16 talented young people who you will meet over the coming months. They are creating incredible work in media rooted in Indigenous traditions and values aimed at revitalizing their languages, traditions, and cultural identities. We share the stories of four of our Youth Fellows in this issue.
As you may know, we are celebrating the 45th anniversary of our CSQ magazine, which promotes and amplifies Indigenous voices in print, and we are also fast approaching Cultural Survival’s 50th anniversary in 2022. Please join us in celebrating 49 years of milestones and our growing team of Indigenous leaders by donating to our #CS50 campaign today. Gifts from partners like you make up over a third of our revenue, and your support plays a critical role in the success of our organization. Thank you for your continued support and ongoing commitment to upholding Indigenous rights and self-determination worldwide!
In deep gratitude,
Galina Angarova (Buryat)
Executive Director
