By Kate Newman and Rachael Small
CIME Staff

On 12-13 February 2010, CIME staff members joined forces in southern Mexico for the second annual CIME Forum. The state of Oaxaca contains more speakers of indigenous languages than any other region of the country, with significant numbers of Zapotec and Mixtec peoples, and as many as sixteen other indigenous groups. All of this made Oaxaca an excellent venue for discussion of the Forum topic: “Representation of Indigenous Peoples in the Mexican Press.”

 Oaxaca-based project assistant Abraham Vásquez was joined by CIME staff members Noah Castro, Kate Newman and Rachael Small. The event was attended by media professionals from all fields: community radio, commercial press, and photographers, as well as professors, students, and interested members of the Oaxacan community.

 CIME collaborated with Protección a la Joven de Oaxaca, a non-profit organization that provides housing to women of indigenous backgrounds living and studying in the city. The Forum was held in the courtyard of Protección a la Joven, where Ms. Newman began with opening remarks, reminding participants that "No country has perfectly ethical media; even high levels of press freedom do not guarantee ethical journalism. However, the challenges in each region are different, and it is important to be having this discussion in Latin America today." Participants were appreciative of CIME's organization of the event, telling staff members that while these issues are prevalent, they are rarely addressed so explicitly. As one participant mentioned, "The capacity to question is very important, and [I appreciated] the openness and recognition of the speakers."


  Each panelist gave their presentation, touching on issues of representation in the written press and radio. Speakers included Lilia Oralia, Director of the Ciudadanía Express, Sócrates Vásquez of Mixe community radio Jenpöj, and Pijy Gutierrez of Noticias, who spoke of her personal experience with discrimination as an indigenous woman and the politicization of indigenous people in the media.


  Open discussion followed, and participants and panelists touched on the root of discrimination against indigenous peoples as it is expressed in the press, as well as the complexity of indigenous/mestizo identity in contemporary Mexican society. As one participant mentioned: "I enjoyed the participation from two perspectives, the indigenous person and the urban mestiza."

  Many of the journalists who attended enthusiastically offered to work with CIME on media ethics workshops in Oaxaca, to help sensitize other journalists and students of journalism to the ethical issues particular to media professionals in that region of Mexico. CIME enthusiastically looks forward to continued collaboration with these individuals, as well as the rest of the Oaxacan media community.