Dec. 7, 2015
MIGIZI Communications is a nonprofit organization that has been serving the Twin Cities American Indian community for more than 35 years. A recent initiative, Media Mentors for Social Justice, engaged 26 American Indian youth in new media production training and social justice issues.
The students produced 11 media projects promoting and investigating healthy food and lifestyle initiatives in the community, along with other social justice topics. The projects helped raise awareness to promote an urban agriculture bill at the Minnesota Legislature, as well as community opposition to a water treatment plant in the East Phillips neighborhood.
The projects were an important first step in engaging young, urban American Indian teenagers in activism and media production, giving them a voice to speak to issues affecting their communities. As one student participant noted, “As a Native American youth, nobody asks us what we think sometimes, this program asked us and asked us to talk to our community about health.”
With help from the Voqal Fund, MIGIZI Communications is continuing to encourage American Indian youth in the Twin Cities area to take advantage of opportunities, pursue interests, fulfill potential and be successful.