Establishing a Social Media presence

Abstract: Following the introduction, Guillem Belmar (UCSB), Jeremías Salazar (UCSB / MICOP), Martín Gabriel Ruiz (UCSB / MICOP) and Dingyan Zhou (UCSB / Fudan University) will share their experiences working on establishing a Social Media presence for Sà'án Sàvǐ ñà Yukúnanǐ and the initial stages of their work with P’urhépecha. The use of minoritized and Indigenous languages in computer-mediated communication (CMC) has largely been associated with language reclamation movements. Boosting the digital presence of these languages is a necessary step for the empowerment of minoritized communities around the world, and social networking sites may just be the easiest way to start. The interactive opportunities of social media, coupled with the widespread use of the platforms, allow speakers of minoritized and Indigenous languages to create their own spaces for communication without the need for government mediation or funding. These virtual communities are increasingly important, particularly for diaspora communities for which CMC may be the only way they can keep in touch with their communities of origin.

This 15-minute talk, followed by a 5-minute Q&A session, presents the challenges of establishing a stable social media presence as an outcome of Field Methods classes. We will analyze the challenge of the implementation of a sustainable Word of the Day Campaign. We will walk the audience through the process, from the community-informed selection of the platforms one must work with to the workflow required for maintenance, including the creation of hashtags as indexical and audience selection tools (Belmar 2020). Finally, we will reflect on the need to balance the shortcomings of these platforms with the many potential positive outcomes that a sustained digital presence can bring about.