Our Vision
A world where democracy thrives for Indigenous people through an independent press.
Buffalo’s Fire publisher to be awarded Tim Giago Free Press Award December 2, 2023 - The Native American Journalists Association (NAJA) has selected Jodi Rave Spotted Bear (Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation / Lakota) as the inaugural 2023 Tim Giago Free Press Award recipient, which recognizes an individual NAJA member that has shown dedication and commitment to upholding freedom of the press, information and transparency within their Indigenous community. As one of the founders of the former Native American Press Association in 1983, Giago has shaped NAJA’s mission, which has always focused on uniting and empowering Indigenous media and championing accurate journalism. Giago passed in 2022 and the NAJA Board created the award to honor his legacy of fighting for press freedom in Indigenous communities. Spotted Bear was selected for her work as a citizen and journalist in holding the… Continue Reading
Open Letter to Press Forward from AAJA, IJA, NABJ, NAJH, Maynard Institute, ONA and Open News December 2, 2023 - Press Forward Must Ensure Equitable Distribution of Resources So Underrepresented Voices are Heard and Supported For those of us who work in journalism, there is not a day that passes that we don’t see vividly how newsrooms are shrinking and how local news deserts are negatively impacting people. So when a group of foundation leaders and heads of philanthropic organizations announced the Press Forward initiative to raise hundreds of millions of dollars to support local news, those of us who work in the field didn’t hesitate to applaud. After all, we need many more funders to understand that local news is vital to the health and sustainability of our democracy. A growing number of people are vulnerable to becoming victims of disinformation and misinformation masquerading… Continue Reading
Democracy in action December 2, 2023 - Democracy in action: inewsource launches Documenters program to promote transparency in local government By Lorie Hearn Today, we celebrate U.S. Democracy Day with a gift to the community. We are launching the inewsource Documenters, a new program based on a very old idea: Democracy works best when everyone is engaged and involved. The Documenters will give all of you – and your children and grandchildren – an opportunity to witness local government at work and get paid for it. The program is built on the fact that public meetings such as city councils, water boards and school boards are workshops for democracy, where residents can observe, learn about and act on the systems that impact their lives. Many urgent, local issues are aired and decided… Continue Reading
Unveiling the new Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance logo March 14, 2023 - It’s been several years since we designed our first logo. We were a new organization without an image to represent the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance. I had attended a nonprofit organization workshop and they had a presenter on hand who was helping folks with marketing. I had a few rough… Continue Reading