Deep in the Lacandon Jungle of Chiapas Mexico, indigenous groups are facing the fight of their lives. Caught between conservation policies and the slow pace of land reform, villagers are fighting to prevent forced evictions from the land where they have lived for generations. If evicted, they face urban slums, poverty, and the necessity of adapting to an entirely new way of life.
Last month, I traveled with three colleagues and collaborators (including Dd's friend and collaborator Schuyler Erle) to one of the communities facing eviction in Chiapas. Thanks to support from the Arca Foundation and Dd's individual supporters, we brought down tools and training materials to help build the capacity of the communities to negotiate on more equal footing with the Mexican government.
Due to the complexity of the current negotiations, we must currently obscure some details such as the names of people and places where we worked, and the circumstances of the threat the communities are facing. However, we do have permission to share photos and details of our work in the following two slideshows. Take a look, share your thoughts, and stay tuned this summer as we continue to share media produced by the local communities themselves.
Reporting back from Chiapas, Mexico
Through our eyes: Photos by Mayan Villagers
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