Our Vision
A world where democracy thrives for Indigenous people through an independent press.
The missing and murdered Indigenous person crisis calls for Indigenous data sovereignty May 6, 2024 - INDIANAPOLIS – A national commission is calling on the federal government to declare a “Decade of Action and Healing” regarding the public safety crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous peoples. The commission issued a report listing its many findings, including problems of reporting and collecting data. The U.S. Interior and Justice departments issued a joint response in early March. “No one should have to experience the loss of a loved one -- let alone losses across generations -- due to the lack of resources, jurisdictional complexities or unnecessary bureaucracy,” wrote Interior Secretary Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) and U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in a joint statement released in a 231-page report on March 5. To acknowledge the high rate of missing and murdered Indigenous persons,… Continue Reading
Akwesasne’s community newspaper faces financial headwinds April 23, 2024 - An anchor media outlet in the Mohawk community of Akwesasne is facing financial troubles. Indian Time newspaper has suspended publication for a month as it restructures and prepares a new business plan. Its goal is to resume publication at least online in the next few weeks. Indian Time started in 1983. It was an offshoot of Akwesasne Notes, a groundbreaking indigenous-owned and -written publication born from the American Indian Movement of the 1970s. Indian Time editor Marjorie Kaniehtonkie Skidders told David Sommerstein her paper was born during a time of internal conflict in Akwesasne. Their conversation has been lightly edited for clarity. MARJORIE KANIEHTONKIE SKIDDERS: We were not reporting on ourselves. It was all mainstream media reporting on Native nations in Akwesasne and across… Continue Reading
Indigenous Media Initiative Sunshine Week survey March 25, 2024 - Indigenous Journalists Association surveying Indigenous members on free press experiences The Indigenous Journalists Association’s 2024 Indigenous Media Initiative Survey, launched in coordination with Sunshine Week March 11-15, is now open through May 3. The survey is aimed at helping IJA better understand the value and status of free press and open government among Indigenous peoples and nations to inform its advocacy efforts. Hosted by the Brechner Freedom of Information Project, Sunshine Week highlights the importance of open government and the dangers of excessive and unnecessary secrecy. Indigenous peoples depend on tribal and Indigenous-owned media outlets for essential news and information about their communities. Because many Indigenous communities reside in places without an independent local media outlet, organizations supported and influenced by tribal and Indigenous nations… Continue Reading
Unveiling the new Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance logo March 14, 2023 - It’s been several years since we designed our first logo. We were a new organization without an image to represent the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance. I had attended a nonprofit organization workshop and they had a presenter on hand who was helping folks with marketing. I had a few rough… Continue Reading