Cultural Survival's community includes people from all walks of life, with beautiful stories to tell of your own about why you decided to become an advocate for Indigenous Peoples' rights. Sharing these stories further connects our community, provides much-needed solidarity and validation to our staff and partners on the ground, and helps us inspire others to join our movement. We are excited to spotlight members and former interns of our community and highlight your contributions and perspectives through our Cultural Survival Spotlight series.
Are you a former Cultural Survival intern or a passionate member of our community? We'd be honored to hear and share your story!
Johannes Stahl, Ph.D., Cultural Survival Former Intern (2000)
When were you a Cultural Survival intern and what program did you work with? (Were there any specific projects or research initiatives you completed during your time here?)
I was an intern in 2000. I wrote a piece for the CSQ titled "The Man-eating Mines of Potosi" and researched the impacts of mining in Papua New Guinea.
Where are you currently in your career, and how do you see your internship experience connecting to your present work?
After 13 years with biodiversity-related conventions at the United Nations, I recently made a change to the private sector. I now work for a Berlin-based think tank and consultancy on climate, environment, and development. The internship at CS was a formative experience and contributed to my lifelong interest in Indigenous Peoples and their stewardship of biodiversity.
Do you have a particularly memorable moment, interaction, or experience from your internship that impacted you?
There are many! The first days I stayed with Pia and David [Maybury-Lewis, founders of Cultural Survival] at their home, which was full of artefacts from David's fieldwork - a bit like a museum. Later on, I made my "home" for two months in the basement of the CS office on Prospect Street. I remember playing basketball at the YMCA with Mark [Mark Camp, current CS Deputy Executive Director], and Jamie [Jamie Malcolm-Brown, current CS Communications and Information Technology Manager] during our lunch break. And I remember the farewell party when I made German fried potato dumplings in the office - the smoke and smell from the frying must have lingered on for days afterwards…
Is there anything else you would like to share about your intern experience or insights for future Cultural Survival interns?
Just thanks to David and Pia, Mark and all the other CS staff back then for making this internship into something so special. And to the current staff and interns: Keep up the good work!
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