Mission

The mission of Longhouse Media is to catalyze Indigenous people and communities to use media as a tool for self-expression, cultural preservation, and social change. Longhouse Media draws from traditional and modern forms of artistic expression, storytelling, teaching and inquiry, based in the technologies of today. Native Lens is a program of LONGHOUSE MEDIA, which supports the growth and expression of Indigenous youth through digital media making.

History

Native Lens was started in 2003 by 911 Media Arts Center in partnership with the Swinomish Tribe as a model media literacy program for Native youth, with the eventual goal to become a sustainable Native run organization. Longhouse Media wishes to thank the 911 Media Arts Center organization for its efforts to establish the Native Lens program and its partnership with the Swinomish Tribal Indian Community. Since the program started there has been an outpouring of support, and interest from Native youth, community members and tribal leaders. It became quickly apparent that the youth produced work created through Native Lens not only yielded strong and positive new media, but also increased participants’ self esteem, worked as a catalyst for community interaction and dialog, and supported youth in the development of life skills and academic success in school. In only four dynamic years we have worked with more than 550 Native youth in the Pacific Northwest through partnerships with regional tribes, funding agencies and established non-profits.  We are both proud and humbled by our successes, fueled by the knowledge that we are bridging a gap between Native youth and digital media, and providing life skills, career development in the media field, community involvement through media projects, and artistic expression through digital filmmaking. Our vision had always been to eventually create a Native based non-profit that could house Native Lens and other Indigenous media initiatives. Longhouse Media, a Washington State non-profit corporation, was launched in 2005 by Executive Director Tracy Rector and Artistic Director Annie Silverstein with the support of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community.

The objectives of Longhouse Media and Native Lens are to:

  • Create and sustain educational arts and technology programs that are culturally relevant and based in a collaborative process between Longhouse Media, Native youth, elders, educators, youth workers, artists, and filmmakers.
  • Break down the negative stereotypes of Native people in the media
  • Provide youth the skills necessary to tell their own stories through digital media
  • Foster experiences for young people that provide career development in the media field, community involvement through media projects, and artistic expression through digital filmmaking.
Copyright 2006 Longhouse Media