Interview with Heidi Minx

We had a chance to interview another inspirational woman Heidi Minx (www.builtonrespect.com), who works tirelessly on raising awareness about situation in Tibet.

355: Please tell us how you got involved with humanitarian causes? Why Tibet?
HM: I visited India 2 years ago, and spent my afternoons in the Tibetan community in McLeod Ganj.  From conversation classes I became aware of the issues in Tibet.  Human Rights are the most basic rights we have in this world. Regardless of where map lines are, people are people - and everyone deserves to be treated with respect.
355: Please tell us about Built on Respect
HM: Almost everything I have done in my life has been 'DIY'.  When I knew I wanted to be involved in human rights work, I really wanted to use my own skills as best I knew how.  So, I started Built On Respect.  My aim is to work with youth who are making a difference in their communities - to help bring awareness to their actions, to use journalism to inform people about issues that may be skimmed over on the 6pm news, and to create calls to action on each topic.
355: We know that you work with Tattoo Community. What differentiate tattoo community from others? How do you work in this community?
HM: Really, my focus is more on music, it just so happens that I, and many of my friends, are tattooed.  As far as the music community, it's no secret that musicians have influence with young people.  Their songs, their interviews- their actions -- are very powerful.

355: Can you please tell us about your mentors or people or situations that influenced you growing up?
HM: The most influential thing in my life was reading Palden Gyatso's 'Fire Under the Snow' -- Palden is an elderly Tibetan monk who spent 33 years in prison, and was severely tortured by the PRC.  After that, I began to read any report I could -- HRW, International Campaign for Tibet, Tibetan Women's Association (specifically their reports on forced sterilization as a means of 'birth control'), as well as books by other political prisoners, like 'Tales of a Keutsang Lama'. These books and reports are a testament to people's strength, and also the atrocities humans are capable of.
355: What would be your advice to young women who start on their path of social entrepreneurship?
HM: Do research, what are you interested in?  What are you best at? But also - do some cultural anthropology research.  Check writing is not always the best solution, nor is traveling into another community if you do not distinctly understand the culture and the long-term effects of your well-intended actions.
355: What was the most useful media vehicle for you to promote your causes? HM: Social media by far.  I've done many press interviews over the years, but the Internet, blogs and social networking sites are the most important ways of gathering and distributing information.
355: What are your future plans?
HM: I'm concentrating on invigorating the music scene more now, and continuing journalism.  I helped start an outsourced work center for refugees in India in conjunction with SamaSource as well, and I'm hoping to see that model expand throughout the Tibetan communities in exile.

Please visit www.builtonrespect.com for more information about Heidi’s projects.