The second meeting of the Indigenous Wisdom Through Media Heals Humanity
and Turtle Island gathering took place on March 8th at WorldBeat Center. The air
was filled with the spirit of community and the buzz of excitement for the future. Even
before the meeting began, interviews were underway and collaborations were already
forming. Rez Radio’s Eric Ortega took the mic, guiding attendees through origin
stories that revealed a shared experience— doing it all, often with limited resources but
deep purpose.
The room held a wide reach of voices and perspectives. A lighthearted
but telling phrase—“I do what Rose tells me to do”—spoke to the influence of Rose
Davis of Indian Voices, whose leadership has helped others step into roles they
hadn’t yet seen for themselves.
As the mic passed from person to person, it became
clear that everyone brought unique talents—and a shared question emerged:
how do we make the most of them for the greater good? That question carried into a larger conversation about the evolving role of
alternative media. In a time of increasing media consolidation, independent outlets
are becoming some of the last spaces for truly community-driven storytelling—
highlighting immigrant experiences, cultural preservation, and grassroots
movements often overlooked by mainstream platforms.
Publications like The Immigrant Magazine, Filipino Press, Rez Radio, KNSJ, and A New Path are not only telling these stories but finding new ways to expand through digital platforms,
podcasts, and collaboration. Rather than competing, many are choosing to support
and amplify one another, recognizing that collective reach is more powerful than
working alone. Sunday’s gathering was a reminder that alternative media is not just
surviving—it’s growing—and for those still searching for where they fit, spaces like this
are where connection turns into purpose.
