In conjunction with the Canadian Embassy in Mexico, please join us for the fourth and final session in a series of online exchanges [1] focusing on how Indigenous communities in Mexico and Canada have been adopting technology and the internet as tools to promote and revitalize their native languages benefitting and impacting a new generation of potential speakers.
Tuesday, September 8, 2020 at 11:00 am (CDT/Mexico City)
Streaming Program #2 – “Exchanges Live: “What are the opportunities for cross-regional digital language activism?” Please pre-register here [2].
Join us on Tuesday, September 8 at 11:00 a.m. CDT for the Canada-Mexico “Exchanges” series organized by Rising Voices in collaboration with the Embassy of Canada in Mexico.
During this “Exchanges Live” streaming program, our team of hosts will guide us as we explore the opportunities and challenges for cross-regional collaboration between Indigenous and First Nations communities who are adopting and adapting technology and the Internet for language revitalization efforts.
In our previous [3] discussions [4] between Indigenous language advocates and activists in both Mexico and Canada, we’ve seen examples of shared concerns and urgency to halt language loss, similar approaches to digital activism, and matching commitment to their communities. However, we also heard how linguistic, technical, and socio-cultural challenges may be different across communities, as well as access to resources and connectivity.
With special invited guests, this program will focus on the potential for knowledge exchange and examine the possibilities to carry these cross-regional exchanges forward.
The program is also taking place within the program of the National Indigenous Languages Fair [5] (FLIN for its initials in Spanish) organized by the National Institute of Indigenous Languages [6] (INALI for its initials in Spanish) of Mexico, which is taking place online August 9 – November 25, 2020.
For those that would like to access the simultaneous interpretation option between Spanish and English, we strongly suggest you register for the Zoom session In addition, you can find the program streaming on the Rising Voices Facebook Page. [7] Please pre-register here [2] to receive the Zoom link.
Hosts:
- Kiado Cruz (@Kiadorindani [8]) is a Zapotec communicator from Yagavila in Oaxaca, Mexico. His work has focused on the appropriation of technology by indigenous peoples, as well as autonomous community education. He is co-founder of SURCO AC [9].
- Sasil Sánchez (@lussasil [10]) is from Xaya, Tekax, Yucatán and a native speaker of Peninsular Maya. She is a poet and promotes the use of the language, with a focus on the media, including her work on the Mayan version of the newspaper La Jornada Maya [11].
- Marco Martínez (@AyookMarco [12]) is a speaker of the Ayöök language of Oaxaca, México. He is a part of the Kumoontun Association [13], which seeks to create spaces and educational materials that works to preserve and share the Ayöök language.
- Yazmín Novelo (@yaznovelo [14]) is a communicator and sociolinguist, member of Radio Yúuyum [15] that broadcasts in the Mayan language from Mérida Yucatán. She promotes her language through technology, the media, and art, especially through music as the lead singer of the band Juumil Moots [16].
Special Guests:
- Alannah Mandamin-Shawanda is Anishnabee from Wikwemikong First Nation situated on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Native Studies at the University of Alberta, and Certificate in the Indigenous Independent Filmmaking Program at Capilano University. Alannah is the Project Coordinator for the IM4 Media Lab.
- Caroline Running Wolf and Michael Running Wolf of Buffalo Tongue Inc both co-founded the non-profit organization Buffalo Tongue Inc. [17] Michael has a Masters of Science in Computer Science, and is a software engineer for non-profit organization Buffalo Tongue Inc. He has been working on a project with Caroline Running Wolf on endangered Indigenous language revitalization using Virtual and Augmented Reality & instructors at IM4Lab (@IM4Lab [18])
- Alejandro Mayoral Baños of Indigenous Friends [19] is a Mixtex/Totonac activist and academic, who is currently working with organizations in Canada and Mexico deploying participatory and community-driven projects by/with/for Indigenous peoples. As a Ph.D. Candidate in the Joint Program of Communication & Culture at York University and Ryerson University in Toronto, his academic research focuses on decolonial computing and digital decoloniality. He is the founder of the Indigenous Friends Association in Canada and Magtayaní AC in Mexico.
- Lluvia Machuca-Ruelas of Indigenous Friends [19]is a Binniza (Zapotec) Two-Spirited woman from Tenochtitlan, Mexico. Proud descendant of a long line of Istmeña matriarchs. Lluvia has a background in traditional cooking, community organizing, History, Political Science, meme knowledge, Computer Programming and Product Design. This intersection is the foundation of her creative practice. They are currently focusing their energy on the deployment of the INDIGital program and the launch of the new version of the Indigenous Friends mobile app.
- Luis Ramón Alvarado Pascacio (@LuisAPascacio [20]) of Jnoptik Intrabach (@jnoptik_intra [21])
- Daniela Niníz of Xamoneta Colectivo de Cherán
- Yunuen Torres of Xamoneta Colectivo de Cherán