Chiapas Media Project Records
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Abstract
The Chiapas Media Project Records (dated 1995-2010) consist of materials created and collected by Chiapas Media Project documenting its ongoing operations, film and video production and distribution, participation in film festivals, and engagement with indigenous communities. Materials in this collection include video recordings; correspondence with speakers, filmmakers, and festival organizers; newspaper and magazine clippings; academic research; notes and notebooks for the organization's projects; distribution and festival ephemera, including brochures, programs, posters, and catalogs; and objects, including a banner, t-shirts, and badges and press passes from festivals and conferences. The collection documents the ongoing activities of the Chiapas Media Project; the ability of indigenous and other marginalized communities to advocate for themselves through media; and topics and issues concerning indigenous human rights documented in individual works, such as agricultural collectives, indigenous land ownership claims, environmental sustainability, and the Zapatista indigenous movement.
Historical Note
The Chiapas Media Project, founded in 1998 by Alexandra Halkin and Paco Vazquez, facilitated the production and distribution of media through four regional media centers built and equipped in collaboration with the Zapatista communities in Chiapas, Mexico. The Chiapas Media Project collaboratively produced 32 documentaries for international distribution, largely authored by community members themselves. The films, which focus on issues such as indigenous sovereignty, indigenous cultural practices, environmental sustainability, sustainable food practices, and autonomous education, have been screened at over 120 film festivals in 20 countries between 1998 and 2010, as well as many college and university campuses and other locations across the globe. The Chiapas Media Project is now known as Promedios de Comunicación Comunitaria, and has been a part of the Americas Media Initiative since 2010. Promedios continues to work with indigenous and non-indigenous communities in Southern Mexico providing audiovisual training and technical support.
Arrangement
This collection is organized into four series, one of which is further arranged in to sub-series. The contents of each series or sub-series are arranged alphabetically. The series and sub-series arrangement of the records is as follows:
Series I: Video Archive;
Sub-Series I.A: Guerrero;
Sub-Series I.B: Guggenheim Interviews;
Sub-Series I.C: Jornaleros;
Sub-Series I.D: Living Juarez;
Sub-Series I.E: TV Serrana;
Sub-Series I.F: Zapatista Communities;
Series II: Film Festivals and Screenings;
Series III: Community Organizing;
Series IV: Written Works.
Scope and Contents
The Chiapas Media Project, founded in 1998 by Alexandra Halkin and Paco Vazquez, facilitated the production and distribution of media through four regional media centers built and equipped in collaboration with the Zapatista communities in Chiapas, Mexico. The Chiapas Media Project collaboratively produced 32 documentaries which focus on issues such as indigenous sovereignty, indigenous cultural practices, environmental sustainability, sustainable food practices, and autonomous education. Their films and videos have been screened at over 120 film festivals in 20 countries between 1998 and 2010, as well as many college and university campuses and other locations across the globe. The Chiapas Media Project is now known as Promedios de Comunicación Comunitaria, and has been a part of the Americas Media Initiative since 2010. Promedios continues to work with indigenous and non-indigenous communities in Southern Mexico providing audiovisual training and technical support.
The Chiapas Media Project Records (dated 1998-2010) consist of materials created and collected by the media organization documenting its ongoing operations, film and video production and distribution, participation in film festivals, and engagement with indigenous communities. Materials in this collection include video recordings; correspondence with speakers, filmmakers, and festival organizers; newspaper and magazine clippings; academic research; notes and notebooks for the organization's projects; distribution and festival ephemera, including brochures, programs, posters, and catalogs; and objects, including banners, t-shirts, name badges and press passes from festivals and conferences. The collection documents the ongoing activities of the Chiapas Media Project; the ability of indigenous and other marginalized communities to advocate for themselves through media; and topics and issues concerning indigenous human rights documented in individual works, such as agricultural collectives, indigenous land ownership claims, environmental sustainability, and the Zapatista indigenous movement.
Subjects
People
Topics
Donors
Conditions Governing Access
Access to Box 15 is restricted until 2097.
Conditions Governing Use
This collection is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use materials in the collection in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; Chiapas Media Project Records; TAM 774; box number; folder number; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Alexandra Halkin in August 2018 and March 2020; the accession numbers associated with this gift are 2018.134, 2021.034, and 2021.074.
Custodial History
At the time of accessioning, some audiovisual materials were separated from the archival collection to be bibliographically cataloged and included in the Indigenous Media Collection. Those items were later reincorporated into the Chiapas Media Project Records.
Audiovisual Access Policies and Procedures
Audiovisual materials have not been preserved and may not be available to researchers. Materials not yet digitized will need to have access copies made before they can be used. To request an access copy, or if you are unsure if an item has been digitized, please contact Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, special.collections@nyu.edu, 212-998-2596 with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. A staff member will respond to you with further information.
Born-Digital Access Policies and Procedures
Advance notice is required for the use of computer records. Original physical digital media is restricted.
An access terminal for born-digital materials in the collection is available by appointment for reading room viewing and listening only. Researchers may view an item's original container and/or carrier, but the physical carriers themselves are not available for use because of preservation concerns.
Appraisal
During processing an archivist identified published books and personal documents. These materials were removed from the collection, deaccessioned, and offered back to the donor by a curator in 2022.
Physical Facet
1 microcassetteAbout this Guide
Processing Information
At the time of accessioning, audiovisual materials were separated from the archival collection for bibliographic management. The remaining collection was rehoused in archival boxes and described on the collection-level with a box-level inventory.
In July of 2022, the collection was arranged and described by an archivist. The collection was divided into Series based on record type and material was arranged intellectually within these Series. Wherever possible, record titles were taken directly from inventories or labels provided by the donor. Physically, audiovisual items are stored together with others of the same format.
One VHS tape (774_237) had a cracked cartridge, which was repaired by the Media Preservation Unit in July, 2022.
Born-digital items were identified, physically separated, and forensically imaged, analyzed, and described. New York University Libraries follow professional standards and best practices when imaging, ingesting, and processing born-digital material in order to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the content.
