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By Adriana Hernández (Maya K'iche', CS Staff) and Carlos Madrigal (Mazahua/Jñatjo, CS Staff)


In the United States, March is Women's History Month. The official designation seeks to highlight the struggle of women in public life and in achieving gender equality. The UN established March 8 as International Women’s Day, which has become a day of vibrant social movements around the world such as collective marches led by and for women.

In Kapsokwony, located in Bungoma County, Kenya, lives Emmanuel Kiplimo (Ogiek), an Indigenous young man concerned about his community’s lack of access to education and health services. Emmanuel’s Cultural Survival Indigenous Youth Fellowship focused on community radio production to promote health, education, and gender inclusion. His concerns were rooted in the lack of response from the government. The Kenyan government’s healthcare and education services in the country are not reaching his community. 

 
By Christian Pillalaza (CS intern)

In the northern part of Ecuador in the province of Imbabura, Cotacachi canton, two dance groups, Kury Tushuy (Golden Dance) and Sumak Sisay Tushuy (Wonderful Blooming), are led by Maria Rosa Guandinango (Kichwa), a young woman from the community of San Pedro and a

By Christian Pillalaza (CS Intern)

Mayra Cortez Calancha (Quechua), 28, is a visual artist, designer, and illustrator from Cusco, Peru. Since she was a child, she was immersed in the world of art, cinema, music, and culture, which allowed her to discover her roots. Through creativity and research, she uses art and painting as media to transmit deeper messages.

By Shaylin Salas (CHamoru, CS Youth Fellow)

From my apartment door, I see a blue sky hovering over the tin roof of the neighboring house. I see the blended tops of coconut trees standing so close, their palms so intertwined, that it’s hard to tell where one ends and the next begins. I see lined telephone poles and a busy road down to my right, the bus stop and grocery store across the street, and wild chickens running around below. They almost always seem to be in a hurry, but I never know where they’re going.

November 25 is the International Day to Eliminate Violence against Women. Violence in all of its forms, whether physical, psychological, sexual, or economic, against women and girls, are violations of human rights. Indigenous women are particularly vulnerable for two factors: ethnicity and gender. In response, more and more Indigenous women are organizing around the world to fight against violence.

Cultural Survival Youth Fellow, Fermín Morales Hilario (Nahuatl), 22, is from Kalman Nimos in the mountains of Mexico, where his family grows corn, beans, and squash. His family is Náhuatl but his mother tongue was not passed down to him as his grandparents did not teach his father and mother to speak it. Fermin has five siblings and is the only one in his family to attend university. He aspires to finish his studies.

In English

 

La becas de Cultural Survival apoyan a jóvenes líderes Indígenas de entre 18 y 28 años: poseedores y creadores de conocimiento, quienes a través de su liderazgo y creatividad, tienen el potencial de avanzar significativamente en su trabajo, liderando espacios transformadores y de impacto dentro de sus comunidades. Desde el añ0 2018 hemos otorgado 62 becas que han apoyado a 82 becarios.

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