In April, Digital Democracy traveled to Chiapas, Mexico to work with indigenous communities facing eviction threats. We conducted interviews and technology trainings to build their capacity to advocate for their human rights.

1. Reporting back from
Chiapas, Mexico
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2. Where did we go?
8 days in Chiapas state
5 days on site in the community

3. Who went?
Our team
Four collaborators with expertise in:
- video
- photography
- mapping
- communications
- community development
- local/regional politics and history

4. Why?
Our goals:
1. Work with community to better
understand current threat
2. Provide them with tools &
training they need to face this threat

5. What did we do?
ACTIVITIES

6. 1. Community
interviews

7. 2. Testimonials

8. 3. Community drawings
& maps

9. 4. Photography workshop
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10. 5. Video workshop
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11. 6. Satellite phone training
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12. 7. Battery/solar
charger training

13. What did we accomplish?
OUTPUTS
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14. Community overview on the
use of photography & video 14

15. 20 women trained in photography & video
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16. 255 photos
taken by trainees
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17. Community’s first satellite phone
call placed to legal counsel

18. 2 hours of video taken
by villagers
10 hours of footage
taken for advocacy film
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19. 13 drawings &
community maps
created by 15 villagers

20. What did we leave behind?
3 Flip video cameras donated by Witness
3 digital cameras
1 satellite phone with service
1 solar panel charger + extra batteries
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21. What’s next?
Indigenous communities remain under
threat of eviction in Chiapas, Mexico.
Our local partners are using their new
skills & tech tools to advocate for
dialogue with the government.
They continue to create media, and hope
to conduct in-depth mapping of their
community later this year.

22. Thank you for joining us on this virtual tour of our work in
Chiapas. Stay tuned for updates from the community.