Our Team
Lidia Arriagada García (she/her) is the founder, president, and CEO of Images for Inclusion. She identifies as Mapuche and was born and raised in Chile. She obtained a BA in Photography and Painting & Drawing at San Francisco State University prior to becoming a U.S. citizen and moving to Lenapehoking (New York City). She has exhibited her photographic artwork at prestigious international galleries in New York, London, Prague, and Venice, Italy.
Lidia's multifaceted career and advocacy for the rights of historically marginalized groups, particularly Indigenous women and girls, led to her founding the NGO Images for Inclusion Inc. (IFI) in 2017. As president of this NGO in Consultative Status with UN ECOSOC, Lidia has made significant interventions at international forums. These include the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) in New York, and the Expert Mechanism on Indigenous Peoples' Rights at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Switzerland. She also attended the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights regional dialogue, "Indigenous Peoples and Access to Justice," at the OHCHR South America Regional Office in Santiago, Chile.
In 2024, she participated in the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in Cali, Colombia, to promote the crucial role of Indigenous rights in addressing the climate crisis and protecting biodiversity. Additionally, in 2024, she organized an International Seminar on Climate Change and Indigenous Science in Chile, bringing members of Native American Nations to share environmental solutions and traditional spirituality with local Indigenous women and youth. In 2020, she led the local "Mapuche Covid-19 Relief" work in Mapuche ancestral territory, delivering handmade masks and hand sanitizer to Mapuche street vendors (hortaliceras), prisoners, LGBTQI2-S individuals, and Afro-descendants. In 2019, she brought the "Pink Balls for Girls" soccer program to Chile, empowering nearly 100 Indigenous girls to promote gender equality and encourage them to follow their dreams.
John Scott-Richardson is member of the Haliwa-Saponi Nation in north eastern North Carolina. His maternal lineage is Nansemond/Saponi and paternal lineage is Tuscarora. John received his undergraduate BA degree from Atlantic Christian College. He has a professional background in private and public sector business. He has worked with NC Commission of Indian Affairs as a program coordinator, US Federal Census as tribal liaison, NC Museum of History as a educator and cultural presenter.
Mr. Richardson currently serves as a board member to the American Indian Community House and Amerinda Indian Arts both in New York City. He has worked to enrich programming for several local, state and national events that includes powwows, cultural workshops, public speaking assemblies in support of indigenous issues such as but not limited to Dakota pipeline, missing and murdered indigenous woman, propercultural representation in educational programs, business inclusion and diversity and American Indian Child Welfare Act. John's passion for American Indian people and these communities has lead him to recently present at the United Nations. John is also an avid storyteller who is passionate about art forms including acting, music, photography and athletics. He feels that these art forms are one of the keys, along with the correct education, can bridge the gap for Indigenous people as they help toward true self determination while adding value to the larger world.