The document reports on an 8-day initiative in Chiapas, Mexico, where a team collaborated with local communities to address threats they face. Activities included interviews, workshops in photography and video, and training in communication tools; outputs included training for 20 women, community-created media, and donations of equipment. Moving forward, local partners will utilize their new skills to advocate for government dialogue and plan further mapping of their community.

1. Reporting back from
Chiapas, Mexico
1

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
13

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.