Support non-profit journalism and perspectives from around the world. See all those languages? The Lingua project at Global Voices works to bring down barriers to understanding through translation. Meet 10 activists who use digital media to strengthen and promote Mayan languages ​​in Mexico Read the inspiring story of one of the grantees selected for the 2024 Mayan Language Digital Activism Fellowship the author shares his story of activism and the project with which he seeks to promote his native language within his community and online My name is Carlos Alberto Chi Chan, I am 24 years old and I belong to the Maayat'aan (Yucatec Maya) I speak and write in my native language; in this way I explore my roots and what it means to understand my local worldview For me my language is essential; since I was born I have listened to it and surrounded myself with it although throughout my life I have found myself in situations where I have experienced discrimination that has not prevented me from continuing to express myself in Mayan Sunset in Dzitbalché Photo: Carlos Alberto Chi Chan I am currently studying for a degree in Mayan Language and Culture which has helped me reconnect with my roots by understanding that my language is not only the word or the writing but is part of the worldview that allows me to give meaning to my environment From greeting each other with “bix a beel” (“how is your path?”) they lead me to reflect on everything that goes unnoticed in everyday speech Within each language there is a great variety of phrases and words that capture different ways of understanding the environment My history in language activism began when I carried out a project to adapt and translate everyday games The goal was to revitalize and spread the language of our community both orally and in writing People of all ages participated and more than once I ended up hearing “I know how to speak Mayan but I don’t know how to read or write in my language.” The Mayan language is the second most spoken language group in Mexico according to statistics but I would like the presence of the Mayan language to come out of the statistics so that it becomes a reality I want to hear it on a daily basis but also see it in writing where we can express our stories This was what motivated me and my classmates to continue with more activities to promote linguistic revitalization in my community Currently, as part of the Rising Voices Digital Activism Program for Mayan Languages I am developing a project aimed at the children of my community with the goal of promoting education of Mayan reading and writing along with the rediscovery of our roots This will be achieved through a series of workshops for the creation of stickers that can be shared physically and digitally I seek to strengthen community ties and create safe spaces so that the children and adolescents of my community feel free to speak their language and spread their worldview through creative processes that involve writing based on the fact that language is a collective process where we learn from all people Playing lottery in Uicam Mayan in Dzitbalché An important tool in the process of linguistic revitalization and dissemination is the use of digital media as it allows us to share and make visible our language The creation of stickers will also involve strengthening my knowledge of the use of digital tools and sharing them with children so that they can use them to support our language My actions seek to plant a seed in children so that they can develop a greater understanding of the local worldview from the Mayan language I hope that this project serves as an inspiration for more young people to be agents of change in their communities and that there is evidence that it is possible to promote native languages ​​in digital media Change begins by creating support networks in the community and for the community This post is from Rising Voices, a Global Voices project that helps spread citizen media to places that don't normally have access to it. All Posts ERROR: SECURITY TIMEOUT - Please copy your message to a backup location Global Voices stands out as one of the earliest and strongest examples of how media committed to building community and defending human rights can positively influence how people experience events happening beyond their own communities and national borders Please consider making a donation to help us continue this work Donate now Authors, please log in » Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Stay up to date about Global Voices and our mission. See our Privacy Policy for details. Newsletter powered by Mailchimp (Privacy Policy and Terms) Global Voices is supported by the efforts of our volunteer contributors, foundations, donors and mission-related services. For more information please read our Fundraising Ethics Policy Special thanks to our many sponsors and funders