Promote the work of specific people and communities and avoid stereotypes

The document argues against the exoticization and stereotyping of Indigenous peoples in media, urging a shift toward representing their actual diversity, self-determination, and contemporary realities. It highlights the danger of 'purity' narratives and 'White Saviour' tropes, advocating instead for the promotion of specific individuals and diverse forest ecosystems beyond the Amazon.

• Media representations often rely on negative stereotypes or idealized 'purity' narratives that depict Indigenous peoples as either marginalized and vulnerable or as mystical protectors of nature. These depictions can lead to the questioning of Indigenous identities and be used to justify the seizure of their lands and resources.
• There is a tendency in media to generalize Indigenous presence and forest diversity by focusing almost exclusively on the Amazon, ignoring other critical regions in Abya Yala such as the Atlantic, Catinga, Paramo, and Valdivian forests, as well as Indigenous peoples living in cities, industrial zones, and farming areas.
• The document criticizes 'White Saviour' and 'salvationist' approaches in photography and journalism, such as the work of Jimmy Nelson, which uses staged, exoticized imagery that denies Indigenous people agency and portrays them as a 'vanishing race'.
• To combat discrimination and protect dignity, narratives must be changed by listening to and giving voice to specific Indigenous individuals and communities, reflecting their self-determination and the rapid evolution of their customs and practices.

APA

Climate Outreach (2021). Promote the work of specific people and communities and avoid stereotypes. https://climateoutreach.org/principles-indigenous-media-presence/promote-specific-work/

Chicago

Climate Outreach. Promote the work of specific people and communities and avoid stereotypes. 2021. https://climateoutreach.org/principles-indigenous-media-presence/promote-specific-work/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Outreach |title=Promote the work of specific people and communities and avoid stereotypes |date=12 August 2021 |url=https://climateoutreach.org/principles-indigenous-media-presence/promote-specific-work/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateoutreach2021promote, author = {{Climate Outreach}}, title = {{Promote the work of specific people and communities and avoid stereotypes}}, institution = {Climate Outreach}, year = {2021}, month = aug, url = {https://climateoutreach.org/principles-indigenous-media-presence/promote-specific-work/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }