About
Indigenous Rights Radio uses the power of community radio to inform Indigenous communities of their rights. We envision a world in which Indigenous communities, equipped with the knowledge of their rights, are empowered to protect their lands, languages, and cultures.
Our team of Indigenous producers collects stories from Indigenous Peoples around the world in English, Spanish, and a growing variety of Indigenous languages; We bring the voices of the Indigenous Peoples of Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas in a dynamic dialogue about the meaning of Indigenous Peoples' rights, their common struggles, and the innovative solutions they develop to deal with the problems they face. nowadays.
1200 radio stations have received our programs, across 55 countries, in 140 languages
María del Rosario “ Rosy” Sul González (Maya Kaqchikel), Indigenous Rights Radio Program Manager. Maria del Rosario González Sul is Kaqchikel Maya and a radio producer for Cultural Survival's Indigenous Rights Radio program. Rosy is from the town of Sumpango, Sacatepéquez, in Guatemala. She studied communication sciences at the Universidad de San Carlos in Guatemala City, and for five years volunteered at Radio Ixchel, the local community radio in Sumpango, where she hosted live talk shows and entertainment programs and promoted human rights. She has traveled as a representative of Cultural Survival to communities in Peru, Panama, Costa Rica, Belize, Mexico, and several international fora, such as the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In each place, she shares the purpose, challenges, successes, and importance of community radio as a tool for community development and organizing, and in the international arena, she has worked to demand that community radio be respected at the global level so that Indigenous Peoples can freely access it. Contact Rosy at rosy@cs.org.
Shaldon Ferris (KhoiSan), Indigenous Rights Radio Coordinator. Shaldon started out in media by producing music videos. His work with Indigenous people started in 2006 after he went on a countrywide journey to document the origins of his family surname "Damakwa" which is a Khoi tribe of South Africa. On his paternal side, Shaldon’s San heritage can be traced to the Northern Cape, South Africa. His first film "Eldorado" premiered at the Durban International Film Festival and won an award in 2011. Shaldon became involved in radio when he started volunteering at his local community radio station, Eldos FM, eleven years ago in Eldorado Park in Johannesburg. Since then, his live show, “Cleaning Up The House,” which airs weekly on Saturday mornings, has won numerous awards, and is the longest running weekly show on Eldos FM. The show is built on interaction from the community based on current issues. Contact Shaldon at shaldon.ferris@cs.org.
Cesar Gomez (Maya Pocomam), Community Media Program Coordinator. Cesar is from Palin, Escquintla, Guatemala. Palin is a Pocomam Maya town that is located only 25 miles from Guatemala City. Pocomam was once a widely spoken language but, in Cesar’s words, “the colonial Spanish language media in Guatemala City have eroded our language and culture over time.” The Pocomam of Palin are an exception; they have maintained their language and many cultural practices. From a young age, Cesar has been involved in cultural revitalization in his community, as a founder and member of "Cultural Association of Poqoman Qawinaqel." In 1999, Cesar started as a volunteer at the Palin community radio station where he worked for five years. In 2005, he was selected as a regional representative to the Association of Guatemalan Community Radio Stations. In 2007, he was hired as the office administrator of the National Congress of Community Radios. In 2008, he joined Cultural Survival as content production and training coordinator for the Community Media Program in Guatemala. Cesar is also the President of the Board of Directors of Asociación Sobrevivencia Cultural. He holds a degree in communication from the University of San Carlos (Guatemala). Contact Cesar at cgomez@cs.org.
Teresita Orozco Mendoza, Training Coordinator for the Community Media Program. Teresita is originally from Managua, Nicaragua. She is a feminist activist and holds a bachelor’s degree in philology and communication studies from the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua. She is a passionate radio producer with over 9 years of experience in community and commercial radio. Teresita has worked with institutions such as the National Police and various civil society organizations on public relations. Contact Teresita at teresita@cs.org.
Amparo Monzón (Maya K’iche), Program Assistant to the Community Media & Indigenous Rights Radio Programs, was born in Guatemala. Amparo holds a bachelor’s in Graphic Design from John Brown University and a master’s degree in International Relations from Westminster University in London. She was a Walton International and Chevening scholar. She is fluent in K´iche´, Spanish, and English. She has worked with the U.S. Embassy as its EducationUSA Outreach Coordinator, at Pop Wuj Organization as its General Coordinator and in the Global Public Service Academy as the Admissions and Recruiting Coordinator. Amparo is also studying to become a midwife and is passionate to share and learn about the everyday life of people around the world. Contact Amparo at amparo.monzon@culturalsurvival.org.