National Geographic Society

All Roads Film Project Director Francene Blythe was on hand at the National Geographic Society's annual Geography Action! event to deliver the keynote address and present a selection of films. Attended by teachers from across the U.S., the focus of this gathering was "Mapping the America's." The goal, to address the challenges facing educators of geography, from student apathy to restrictive state regulations. Geography Action! is National Geographic's tool to bring geographic knowledge to teachers, students and families throughout the U.S. Through her keynote address, Blythe demonstrated how works by minority and indigenous storytellers from across the globe, can serve as an effective tool set in the educator's arsenal.

The Chinese Cabinet is considering the creation of a "cultural protection region" for the Qiang, an ethnic minority whose region was deeply affected by the massive earthquake in May. According to state-run reports, the Qiang, lost about %10 of their population in the devastation. For a community who has its own language, no written text and relies on elders to hand down ancient traditions, such losses may portend catastrophic consequences to the fabric of its entire culture. Only a few dozen of the shamen, or holy men, who are the gatekeepers of the Qiang's ancient traditions remain throughout the region. Known colloquially as the "people in the clouds", the Qiang live in the mountains of the Sichuan province with a history dating back 3,000 years. The government's move to extend this level of support at the cultural level provides a stark contrast to recent violent clashes with the Tibetans and the Ulghur ethnic minorities, who widely resent Chinese rule.