During Rio+20 in 2012, the follow-up to the Earth Summit, indigenous leaders and representatives from around the world, along with their allies, convened. Within this gathering, during an informal exchange, the idea of creating an entity to support the Indigenous Peoples’ movement through media emerged, given the urgent pressures on the natural world and indigenous living spaces.

Over the ensuing months and years, this concept took shape, leading to the formation of Drumbeat Media. From the outset, there was a deliberate effort to avoid a rigid structure in favor of a flexible, people-centered network. Operating primarily on a voluntary basis was intended to avoid diverting resources from existing Indigenous Peoples’ organizations, reflecting a strong belief in uniting forces rather than competing. To ensure that projects serve the interests of the indigenous movement, they were to be guided by an indigenous board and maintain close ties with Indigenous Peoples’ caucuses and networks.