Siembra la Palabra Digna

Siembra la Palabra Digna (Sow the Dignified Word) is a campaign to advance responsible speech in the local, national, and global media. When speech is not accurate or truthful, or when it attacks people based on their actual or perceived race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, language ability, appearance, or mental capacity, it serves only to create harm. This language is also known as hate speech, which covers written and oral communication and some forms of behaviors in a public setting.  Hate speech is not protected in the First Amendment, and it is not a constitutional right. Furthermore, there is a direct correlation between irresponsible speech and hate crimes.  We uphold this country’s first amendment and understand that with the right to free speech comes the duty to keep communities safe and healthy through responsible speech in media.

 Siembra la Palabra Digna fights the rising trend of incendiary speech that is endorsed by media for profit. This speech especially impacts vulnerable communities and influences voters—it has legislative and policy implications that can cause further harm to youth, people of color, queer, immigrant, and rural people.

Siembra la Palabra Digna is a powerful tool for education and advocacy that our communities use to speak back to producers of irresponsible media. Siembra la Palabra Digna partners with local and national organizations to address the portrayal of immigrants, youth, and the LGBTQI community in news and talk radio. Siembra engages community members through townhalls, events, and actions to ensure the health and safety of our communities. 

In September of 2009, Siembra La Palabra Digna joined the efforts of the BastaDobbs.com campaign to hold CNN accountable for false reporting and harmful rhetoric targeting the Latino and Immigrant community through the Lou Dobbs Tonight show.  

Siembra was able to rally many cross-sector NM groups and individuals in support of the national strategic effort. In October 2009, Media Literacy Project and collaborating organizations held a press conference at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in conjunction with groups across 18 major U.S. cities.  A week later Siembra hosted a Townhall to connect our local media problems with the larger problem of the national media. On November 11, 2009, Media Literacy Project celebrated the resignation of Lou Dobbs off the most widely viewed news network in the country!