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!
Laura Garbes, Cultural Survival Former Intern
When were you a Cultural Survival intern?
I was an intern in both the Spring and Summer of 2012.
Where are you currently in your career, and how do you see your internship experience connecting to your present work?
I am a sociologist of media, race, and organizations. Among other things, I study the importance of historically marginalized groups getting full and fair representation in our media ecosystem. This interest is linked to the topics I explored as an intern at Cultural Survival. The organization's focus on supporting indigenous language programming globally helped grow my passion to explore this in an academic setting.
Do you have a particularly memorable moment, interaction, or experience from your internship that had a lasting impact on you?
In summer 2012, I wrote about Mother Tongue Based Education in the Philippines, my father's homeland, for Cultural Survival. This experience shaped me, as I came to understand just how much I enjoyed writing about language and community empowerment through this process.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your intern experience or insights for future Cultural Survival interns?
I would encourage future Cultural Survival interns to learn about all of the initiatives and programs that the organization is involved in. Participating in the bazaars was one of the most fun experiences of my summer. Even though it was not the main focus of my internship, I'm glad I had the opportunity to participate and build community with both the vendors and visitors.
Laura's book, Listeners Like Who? Exclusion and Resistance in the Public Radio Industry was published with Princeton University Press in September of this year.
Are you a former Cultural Survival intern or a passionate member of our community? We'd be honored to hear and share your story!
