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Critical Issues

We provide the next generation of creative change-makers with unique opportunities to MAKE and SHARE media that matters

About Us

What is
Access To Media Society?

AMES has been investing in the imaginations and skill sets of up-and-coming media artists, digital activists and creative change makers for over two decades.

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Acknowledging our shared territories

AMES is a bi-regional organization. Many of our projects take place on xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) territories, and that’s where lots of our collaborators and participants hail from too. But the birth place of AMES is the unsurrendered territory of the Penelakut people, and 12 other Hul’quim speaking Nations who hold rights and responsibilities in and around the place that’s come to be known as Galiano Island.

Dive Deeper
500+
Videos Created
2,000 +
Youth Producers
50,000+
Students Reached

Programs

Stories that move: transforming ourselves and the wider world

DisPLACEment

DisPLACEment centres the stories, creative visions, and perspectives of indigenous and newcomer youth, models peer-education and helps build motivation for change by delving into timely and critical equity issues.

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HumanEYES

Bridging Cultures and Generations through arts-based migration and food-focused storytelling

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Digital Forage

Digital Forage is a wild-food focused intergenerational digital storytelling program that involves reciprocal knowledge-sharing between Galiano and Penelakut artists, elders, and youth.

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Social Channels

  • quote by @rubysingh_ #blacklivesmatter #southasiansforblacklives
  • #blackouttuesday
  • Hey all! Faces: Episode 2 is out now (link in bio) featuring past AMES facilitator @rubysingh_ . . Kimmortal opens up the podcast with a quote by him.: . . "As an artist I have greatly benefited and continue to benefit from the work of Black Artists. I would not be who I am without the guidance and brilliance of Black Leadership, Black Lives and Black Art that I have grown up with and that surrounds me today. In solidarity, love and liberation, I am with you. Support Black Friends Support Black People Support Black Business Support Black Leaders Support Black Youth Support Black Lives Matter" . . Listen to his beautiful album that combines hip hop and Sufi devotional mystic poetry from the 13th century here: jhalaak.bandcamp.com (my fave tracks are “The Last Prophet” and “No Sliver of Peace”) . . . lastly, Ruby Singh has provided an exclusive for @accesstomedia followers! You get a FREE bandcamp download if you DM us! ❤️🙏🏽 . . #artistinterview #rubysingh #asiansforblacklivesmatter
  • Hey wonderful people. In solidarity with the blackout that is happening tomorrow for #blacklivesmatter i will be releasing the second episode of "FACES" at 11:11 tonight featuring @rubysingh_ who just released his new album "Jhalaak" (spark), a Sufi Hip Hop project that leans back to mystic poetry. Look out for the drawing reveal of his face + podcast link! Check out his album here: https://jhalaak.bandcamp.com/album/jhalaak @kimmortaltheartist . . #portrait #interview #drawing #art #podcast
  • via @kimmortaltheartist
  • Access to Media just released a new film called "Words Matter" via the series "Charting Change". Link in bio!! The film stars Nova Weipert, Ayaan Ismail, Kimbo Bince Villagante and guest actor Emily Bilton. In this story, a group of high-school students who come together to play a word-game for their homework assignment. In the process of playing the game, they come to realize how the words they play with impact their everyday lives. The film was both edited and directed by the talented Sepideh Yas and was written by wordsmith Tanvi Bhatia who met with our AMES facilitators. Collaboratively, the whole group built a film that reflects real world conversations around understanding anti-oppression vocabulary through an intersectional lens. The facilitators asked: How can we make learning about these key words engaging to youth in educational settings outside of dry word/definitions? And ultimately, how can we encourage the next generation of creative change-makers to recognize, name, and change these systems of oppression? . . . . . #film #media #access #intersectional #youthled #antioppression #socialjustice #socialchange #words #youthfilm
  • Check out an event Nova @tran5cendfilm is running! RSVP online! Description: Two separate worlds – connected by adoption and spirituality. In this evening of personal stories, VPL Indigenous Storyteller in Residence Nova Weipert and his mother, Connie, share their unique family history and the spiritual experiences that tie them together. To join you will need a computer, tablet or phone with a camera and microphone and the app Zoom. A link and password to join the event will be sent to registrants. New to Zoom? Learn more about using it here. Registration will close at 9am on the day of the event. Learn more at: vpl.ca/storyteller
  • Photos from behind the scenes on an upcoming Ames film starring Nova @5uper.nova and Beany John will be coming out in the near future! Beany aka @cjhoopdance was a brilliant teacher, guiding Nova, Sepideh, and Kim in the making of hoops. With each step, there was a decolonial teaching and Nova ended up with 7 beautiful hoops wrapped in accent colours of blue, pink, and white. This film is still in the making and the end scene will be a powerful one. Stay tuned. #culturalreclamation #hoopmaker #hoopmaking #indigenousfilm #twospirit #trans #coastsalish
  • !brainstorming for new 2020 films! Breaking down that vocab for the next generation. We planned 4 films today that will be rolled out into highshools! Thank you to the amazing: @sepideh.yadegar @5uper.nova @ayanmahmud @sometimestanvi @kimmortaltheartist & @cjhoopdance on the screen . . . #film #nextgeneration #highschool #media #filmmaking
  • This photo was taken by @kimikwe !!! who was present at this past AMES AGM gathering. These words written by Dr. Rosales Meza @dr.rosalesmeza were shared by emcee-activist @jbthefirstlady on Facebook and then suggested as a writing prompt by @kimmortaltheartist for people in the room to jump off or ruminate on. Every one ended up sharing one or two sentences or phrases from their poetry and it became a collective poem of words spoken. 15 minute writing and shared piece! Decolonization is an ongoing process we must continually work towards and hold ourselves accountable to. Much respect and love to everyone on their journeys. - Kim . . . #decolonize #socialjustice #landback #poetry #inclusion #diversity #classrooms

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