Emmi Nuorgam (Goržán Bávvála Armasa Emmi) is a sámi human rights activist, impact producer of an Eatnameamet – Our Silent Struggle, podcast host and an award winning influencer with more than 33 000 followers.
Eatnameamet – Our Silent Struggle (2021) portrays the indigenous Sámi people fighting for their existence. The film follows the on going cultural genocide of the Sámi which the current Governmental politics allow. This film is a cry for help for the last indigenous people living in the EU. The Nordic countries have a long history of racism that dates back many centuries. One of the most affected groups are indigenous population – the Sámi people. Sámis has been forced to change their way of life, and have been subjected to abuses, violations and racism. Hate speech and systematic spreading of disinformation, both on live and over the internet, are one of the biggest threats towards Sámis. Main goal of the documentary is to give more knowledge for western people about indigenous people and make our society and Internet a safer place for minorities.
As an impact producer Emmi Nuorgam was managing the social change-focused media strategy, business responsibility, stakeholder collaboration, communications, marketing, and public relations. The documentary was a catalyst for a historical collaboration between the Peace Education Institute, the leading peace education organization in Finland, and the School Cinema Association. Furthermore, parts of the documentary were subsequently used in social studies learning materials across Finnish schools.
Eatnameamet won the annual state award for information publication from the Ministry of Education and Culture in Finland, The Church Media Foundation award, and the Tampere Film Festival audience award. Since 2022, Nuorgam have been working with Suvi West on her new documentary film, Máhccan – Homecoming, which is on the subject of the museum industry, repatriation, and Sámi rights to their own cultural history.
Nuorgam is also the co-host of the popular Finnish podcast Kerhotalo. Kerhotalo grew from weekly Instagram Lives into a twice-weekly, digital media critical podcast, whose hosts take societal issues seriously – and themselves less so. Kerhotalo is a gentle, reflective, conversational show, described by some as a “feminist institution”. Hosts Laura Haimila and Emmi Nuorgam discuss current affairs, viral moments, and media storms, sharing their thoughts about the media landscape, culture, relationships, and feminism. In other words, Kerhotalo is a mindset, a guide to its listeners, providing an alternative lens through which to see the world and question the norms you have been taught.
Previously Nuorgam has worked in a several public positions, for example as a journalist in Finnish Broadcasting Company Yle and project manager in a Finnish Government #covidfacts campaign. In 2020 Nuorgam was nominated to InfluencerTOP50, a global list of the most prominent influencer marketing professionals. In 2022 she took part in the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program IVLP Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists – Media Responsibility in an Age of Disinformation. This project for rising media professionals will expose participants to current trends and technologies in detecting and combating disinformation and deceptive news. She was also awarded as Best Responsibility Influencer of a year in Tubecon Awards 2022.
In the last couple of years Emmi has been involved – among other things – in the following projects:
Impact producer – Eatnameamet – Our silent struggle (2021)
Eatnameamet – Our silent struggle portrays the indigenous Sámi people fighting for our existence. The film follows the on going cultural genocide of the Sámi which the current Governmental politics allow. This film is a cry for help for the last indigenous people living in the EU.
Project manager – PING Helsinki & The Finnish Media Pool (part of the National Emergency Supply Agency), 2018-2021
Project aim is to make social media and social media influencers more reliable. We held seminars and published a podcast and handbook (Fake or Fact? Handbook of a Reliable Social Media Influencer, 2020). for active social media users. These tools will help influencers to make reliable content but also embrace their professional identity. Emmi is also a member of Media pool’s Content Group which includes Finnish editor-in-chiefs and heads of Finnis media groups, authorities and officials. Content Group was founded to ensure reliable communications in a crisis situation.
PING Ethics
is an ethical code for promoting the transparency and general fairness of content marketing, for more information:
Project manager – #coronafacts, Finnish Government, PING Helsinki and the Finnish Media pool (part of the National Emergency Supply Agency), 2020
The main goal for this collaboration was to provide social influencers reliable information about Covid-19 from the authorities and encourage them to share it with their followers. They were also encouraged to show good example and follow the recommendations and restrictions set to prevent virus from spreading. Social media influencers have played an important role in sharing reliable information but also preventing the spread of disinformation. Influencers can reach thousands or even millions of people and have a great impact on them. Especially young people rely on influencers more than on other communication channels, so influencers have a great responsibility.
