Current Director of Rising Voices. I have also worked as Regional Editor and Spanish Language Editor for Global Voices, as well as a volunteer author for Bolivia. I have been part of GV since 2005. I was part of a team that was awarded a Rising Voices microgrant in 2007 with Voces Bolivianas. Currently based in Cochabamba, Bolivia.
Latest posts by Eddie Avila
25 July 2017
What YouTube Comments on Two Cover Songs Reveal About the Irish and Sámi Languages
The music videos for popular songs translated into minority languages can create spaces for joy, solidarity, and pride—as well as scorn, social divisions, and nationalism.
A Storytelling Initiative Aims to Preserve Urban Linguistic Diversity
"What is it like to speak to an audience that is not understanding your language?"
13 June 2017
‘Untranslatable’ Blog Shines a Light on the Unique Vocabulary of Small Languages
Do you know what "vakasteglok" in the Mwotlap language means? How about "kwadi" in the Hunsrik language?
A Wikipedia Made for—and by—the Atikamekw First Nation in Canada
An ongoing project, funded by the Wikimedia Foundation, is working with the Atikamekw community to develop Wikipedia content in their own language.
27 May 2017
With an Eye on the Future, First Nations in Canada Are Switching From Audio Cassettes to Digital
With a helping hand from the Indigitization project, First Nations communities in British Columbia are digitally preserving the rich cultural content contained in audio cassettes.
Wikimujeres Wants More Women Editors to Fix Wikipedia's Gender Imbalance
"We are group of Wikipedia users concerned about the diversity and neutrality of Wikipedia and we are willing to work to reduce...the gender and culture gap..."
17 May 2017
How Memory and Digital Media Can Pave the Way to Peace in Colombia
"I think the website and the content we publish on the Internet make memory. We have made memory with our videos and stories."
1 May 2017
A Collaborative Project Maps the World’s Vulnerable Communities Before Disaster Strikes
The Missing Maps project combines the work of volunteers contributing remotely, on-the-ground community leaders, and humanitarian organizations.
Nigerian ‘Cultural Evangelist’ Promotes African Languages with Apps and Digital Storytelling
"Technology offers the best form of creative approach to preserving native languages. It aids the process of documentation, collaboration between language experts, offers a wide array of distribution medium etc."
6 April 2017
Inspired by a Pioneering Nigerian Author, Yorùbá Language Advocate Takes to the Internet
"...I knew I had to propagate the Yorùbá heritage to the world and the cheapest and easiest way to do that is via the international network of computers."
5 April 2017
These Techies Want Your Phone to Speak to You in Swahili
Swahili is the second-most-widely-used language on the African continent. Yet automatic speech recognition isn’t commercially available in this language, denying many users the information they need.
4 April 2017
Local Language / Global Network: Designing Mobile Technology for Indigenous and Minority Language Users
Lessons from how Irish speakers are interacting with mobile technologies may provide insights for speakers of other minority and indigenous languages.
28 March 2017
A New Audio Uploading Tool for Crowdsourced Wiktionary Project in Odia Language
One Global Voices contributor who's passionate about the Odia language has created an open-source solution for recording and uploading words under open licenses for projects like Wiktionary.
