At-Risk Native Youth and Digital Media: Creating a New Literacy

Longhouse Media is a non-profit indigenous media arts organization whose vision is to nurture the expression and development of Native artists, drawing from traditional and modern forms of storytelling, cultural identity, teaching and inquiry, based in the technologies of today. Native Lens is the arm of the organization that brings digital media training to Native youth as a tool for self-expression, cultural preservation, and social change. These technologies provide access to a new, alternative form of literacy, where youth can critically explore personal and community issues, such as education, environmental degradation, positive life choices, traditional health, and cultural pride.