Mallika and MORE Magazine encourage activists to “Get Angry. Go Viral. Use Social Media for Change!” Read the article and let us know what you think here.
From LinkTV: “Every Indian man will tell you that real men do not hit women. Yet, studies show that 35% of Indian women have experienced physical violence at the hands of a man or in-law. In these docs, South Asian women find ways to stop domestic violence.” Watch the full episode here.
Mallika talks with Bioneers about the grassroots and media work of Breakthrough, and how these projects are changing the global conversation and cultural narratives. Hear the full show here.
Open Magazine quoted Mallika in coverage about gaming for social change, of the ‘Serious Games Conference’ at Tech@State. Mallika said: “I truly believe that games offer a safe, virtual space for players to inhabit other identities and worldviews and work through complex social issues.” Read more here.
Mallika presented on America 2049 and the future of games for social change at the Serious Games Conference, organized by the US Department of State Office of eDiplomacy in Washington, D.C. Mallika uplifted the transmedia aspects of America 2049 and stressed what we can do online and off to make real change. Watch the video here (start around 3:10 for Mallika).
Mallika is named one of the top coolest Desi’s of 2009. Read more about Mallika and see the full list here.
Mallika Dutt provided testimony at the U.S. House of Representative’s Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight’s hearing on international violence against women on October 21, 2009. She was joined by actress Nicole Kidman, the UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador to urge Congress to pass the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA).
Other witnesses included: The Honorable Janice D. Schakowsky, U.S. House of Representatives; The Honorable Melanne Verveer, Ambassador-at-Large, Office of Global Women’s Issues, U.S. Department of State; and The Honorable Linda Smith, President and Founder , Shared Hope International
Transcript | Video | PhotosThe Deccan Herald interviewed Mallika for an article about the development of Breakthrough, and how to use media and pop culture as tools for human rights, specifically for starting conversations about human rights issues. Read the full article here.
The Asian American Law Students Association (AALSA), the South Asian Law Students Association (SALSA) and the Latin American Law Students Association (LALSA) honored Mallika for her contributions to South Asians in law and the community at their annual Spring Banquet held on April 10th at Jing Fong in New York City. Other honorees included John Liu, New York City Comptroller; Margaret T. Ling of the Asian American Bar Association and judge Ruben Franco of the New York City Civil Court.
Every year, the South Asian, Asian American and Latin American Law Student Associations at New York Law School hold an event to celebrate the diversity and progress of legal professionals in their communities. In addition to the dinner and awards presentation, the evening included performances of modern and classical Indian Fusion by Infin8, and salsa and meringue by Ella Kagan & Francisco McCarthy of NYLS.
I am pleased to be delivering the keynote address at the National Council for Research on Women’s Annual Conference on Friday, June 11th and Saturday, June 12th at Hunter College. The theme is strategic imperatives for ending violence against women, and I will be joined by dear friends and inspiring colleagues for two days of panels and workshops connecting issues of violence to education, economic security and health. It is a real opportunity to share a more holistic approach to this critical issue.
I will be delivering my keynote on Saturday, June 12 from 12:15 – 1:00 pm, reflecting on the power of media and culture tools in ending violence against women. I do hope you’ll join me!
For more information, click here!
As immigration becomes a major concern once again, issues of race and citizenship get elided into one another, and media narratives contribute to the confusion. See what Mallika has to say to Laura Flanders on GRITtv here.
“In the last decade or so, I think the South Asian community in the United States has started to become more philanthropically-oriented, but it’s still an uphill battle.” Read the rest of the interview here.
Mallika was honored at the Women in Islam 9th Annual Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial Lecture. Mallika received the Compass Award, which is given “to women who, through their exceptional dedication, mark as well as forge a clear direction for our communities.” Women in Islam is an organization of professional and social activist women who are dedicated to the empowerment of women. Their mission is to advance the spiritual and intellectual development of women to empower them as dynamic participants in civil society and as advocates for human rights and social justice.
Breakthrough launched the global expansion of the award-winning Bell Bajao! campaign (Ring the Bell in Hindi), calling on men and boys to take a stand against domestic violence, at the Opening Plenary of the 2010 Clinton Global Initiative in NYC on September 21, 2010. Introduced by former President Clinton, Mallika Dutt shared the success and impact of Breakthrough’s women’s rights initiatives, and introduced the Global Bell Bajao campaign at this inspiring and global platform. Watch a clip here.
Breakthrough also released a PSA featuring U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon – the inaugural Global Bell Bajao Champion – calling on men and boys all over the world to unite in stopping violence against women. You can watch the PSA here.
“For 30 years, Mallika Dutt has dedicated her life to human rights. What you will witness here are the fruits of her labor. Her organization’s current campaign to end domestic violence in India and the United States has reached over 130 million people so far. It’s message: Ring the Bell.”
Learn more about the evolution of Bell Bajao! and see the video here.
Mallika Dutt was interviewed by Josh Sprague for a Social Games Today podcast on May 27, 2011. Mallika shares about Breakthrough’s beginning, growth, and entrance into the world of gaming with America 2049. She discusses the the development of a social game for social good. Listen to it here!
Huffington Post highlights the strategic multimedia Facebook game created by Breakthrough. Mallika describes social media as “the public square in which narratives are framed.” Read more about the game, the developers, as well as the intersection of social media and live events here.
Mallika Dutt was interviewed by Kjerstin Johnson of Bitch Media online on April 29, 2011. Mallika describes Breakthrough’s approach to initiating social change with social media, and elaborates on the development of Facebook game America 2049. Read more and listen to the full podcast here.
Mallika Dutt was quoted in a Bitch Magazine Blog Article about the women who created Breakthrough’s Facebook game America 2049. Mallika explains that issues surrounding migration were the catalysts for the fame, and the article goes on to chronicle the development of the game by Heidi Boisvert and Andrea Phillips. Read more about the women behind the compelling and complex America 2049 here.
This Atlantic article describes the exciting Facebook game America 2049. The Atlantic highlights the multifaceted gaming experience available with America 2049’s offline educational events. Mallika explains in the article that there has been “an enormous increase in the number of people coming to our offline events as well as more interest in the themes pulled out through the game. ” Read the full article here.
Hayley Tsukayama, in her article on the upcoming Tech@State Serious Games Conference, highlights America 2049 as a unique interplay of technology and teaching. Mallika is quoted in the article, expressing her excitement that, “the State Department is interested in gaming in a development agenda. This is actually a way to think about foreign policy, economic policy and could be huge potential for multiple organizations to think about how to reach people — and specifically how to reach the next generation.” Mallika will be speaking at the Serious Games Conference on May 27, 2011. To read the rest of the Washington Post article about the conference, America 2049, click here.
In a Washington Post article about the possibility of using online games as a way to expand a sometimes limited online experience, Mallika advocates games as a way for “people to enter into alternative realities, to change their way of thinking.” The article describes the increasingly limited and less democratic internet experience caused by filters which personalize content for better advertising, but can result in excluding exposure to different ideas. Read more here.
Mallika’s work for human rights was lauded in the December 2010 Hi!Blitz spread on The Let’s Breakthrough Together Gala. The gala, which takes place at Cipriani on 42nd Street in New York, was a fundraising event to support Breakthrough’s human rights media projects in India and the United States. Activist and playwright Eve Ensler was awarded Breakthrough’s annual Inspiration Award, and Cynthia Nixon performed ‘I am an emotional creature’ by Eve Ensler.
See more here.
Mallika is featured and interviewed in the June 2011 Verve India magazine. This issue, the Power Issue, champions India’s 50 most influential women. Mallika is among many amazing women in the top 50, including Kareena Kapoor and Sonia Gandhi.
Read it here!
On June 5th, Reproductive Health Reality Check, a website committed to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights, interviewed Mallika and Harold Perrineau, known for his role as Michael on the television show Lost. Mallika talks about America 2049, Breakthrough’s Facebook game, as a means to bring more attention to human rights issues. Harold Perrineau describes his interest in sexuality and immigration issues as a catalyst for his involvement in America 2049. Read more and listen to the podcast here.
On April 9, 2011, Mallika presented on Bell Bajao! and social media for social change as part of the “Leveraging Technology and New Media for Real Social Change” plenary at the Women’s Funding Network Power of Global Network’s Conference in New York City.
Tablet Magazine lauds America 2049 as a solid, worthwhile and interesting game among the “din of popular culture,” and highlights the development collaboration with Hasia Diner, professor of history and the director of the Goldstein-Goren Center for American Jewish History at New York University, whose historical research helped complete the fabric of the game. Mallika is quoted as saying gaming can be a way to “engage a community of people across issues and across identities.” Read the full article here.
CBS News highlights the “explosion” of Facebook games, with a nod to Mallika, Breakthrough and America 2049! Read the article here.
Mallika describes her dynamic personal journey from public policy desk job to producing music videos and video games as a bold human rights advocate. Part of Feldt’s inspiring “9 Ways” series. Read the full story here.
