Nia Tero Annual Report 2023 ENGLISH Single pages - Flipbook - Page 59
International Film Festival (SIFF), where the
fellowship program hosted musician Jeremy
Dutcher with a live recorded performance
and conversation at KEXP.
We brought together 22 fellows, fostering
creative and environmental leadership,
including six in-person gatherings, resulting
in achievements such as two fellows being
elected to tribal councils based on their
platforms of creativity and environmental
advocacy. Additionally, four fellows and
grantees had their work accepted into the
Sundance Film Festival in January 2023.
Leadership Fellowship
The Leadership Fellows Program is a
year-long hybrid Indigenous leadership training
designed to strengthen emergent leaders
from Nia Tero’s trust-based partnerships. The
program focuses on leadership development
and succession, prioritizing culture, identity,
and self-determination. In 2023, 14 fellows
(Achuar, Akawaio, Patamona, Wayana, and
Tiriyo) participated in three training workshops
in Achuar (Ecuador), Makushi (Guyana),
and Wayana (Suriname) territories. Fellows
are currently in the project implementation
phase, executing activities in coordination
with their local leadership. Some projects
include community-based tourism, cultural
revitalization, organic farming, airstrip
maintenance, and youth skills training.
Origins Fellowship
The Origins Fellowship launched its inaugural
cohort in Central and Inner Asia, led by our
partners at the World Union of Indigenous
Spiritual Practitioners (WUISP) through its
Secretariat Arga Billig NGO. This innovative
intergenerational program paired young
Indigenous artists with spiritual elders, fostering
cultural exchange and mentorship. It modeled
mutual learning guided by elders, emphasizing
connection to the land, creative expression,
and self-reflection, while cultivating a fresh
approach to nurturing Indigenous talent.
Thriving Peoples. Thriving Places.
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