IPD Philly extends deep gratitude to our speakers, performers, volunteers, vendors, sponsors, donors, and everyone who joined us—rain and all—for another powerful Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Philadelphia.

This past October, Indigenous peoples and allies gathered at Shackamaxon to honor Indigenous communities across Turtle Island and Abya Yala. Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2025 reflected the strength, resilience, and continuity of Indigenous peoples in the face of ongoing settler colonialism.

We were honored to welcome back Charles Under Baggage (Oglala Sioux Tribe) as our emcee, who guided us through a full day of music, dance, storytelling, and truth-telling. Featured speakers included Indigenous activists and educators, as well as allies like Pennsylvania State Representative Christopher Rabb and Donna Jackson Stephans who is serving as the Interim Chief DEI Officer for the City of Philadelphia in the office of the Honorable Mayor Cherelle Parker.

The celebration featured incredible Indigenous artists, performers, and vendors, including The Lenape Dancers from Oklahoma, Marcus “Quese” Frejo, Inkarayku, Canpatlaneci, Sergio “Checho” Cuadros, and many more [read recap 2]. We were also proud to welcome new Indigenous vendors and artists from across the Americas.

Featured Speakers

Speakers represented Indigenous nations across South, Central, and North America and addressed themes of land justice, sovereignty, survival, and community organizing.

• Tonya Anna, (Delaware Tribe of Indian) and Assistant Chief opened the event with welcoming remarks and highlighted the important history and experiences of the  Lenape who are today far from their ancestral land.
  
• Priscilla Bell (Taíno–Boriquén) spoke about Indigenous persistence and land justice efforts throughout the Caribbean.
  
• Samantha Pond (Oglala Sioux Tribe) shared the history and ongoing resistance surrounding the Sacred Black Hills and treaty rights.
  
• Mabel Negrete (Native Chilean) announced IPD Philly’s campaign to reinstate Indigenous Peoples’ Day as an official Philadelphia city holiday and rename Columbus Day as Italian Heritage Day.
  
• Adah Bush (Northern Ute Tribe) read IPD Philly’s public statement and spoke about confronting settler colonialism in Philadelphia and the importance of truth-telling and restoration.
  
• Manuel Vasquez (Zapotec descent) highlighted the vital work of Juntos and the visibility of Indigenous immigrants in Philadelphia.
  
• Jesus Rivera Guzman (Native Peruvian), and a graduate student from the Quechua Program of UPENN share why it is important to preserve the Quechua language for the Andes and the world, one of the most spoken Indigenous language in South America.
  

Moving Forward

The 9th Annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day at Shackamaxon was a day of celebration, remembrance, education, and connection. Indigenous Peoples’ Day Philadelphia is part of a growing pan-Indigenous movement working to counter erasure, honor Indigenous survival, and advance justice.

In 2026, IPD Philly will celebrate our 10th Annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day. We are honored to continue this work and grateful to everyone who made this year’s gathering possible.

🎥 Watch the full event on our IPDPhilly2025webpage.
📣 Learn more about our campaign to reinstate Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
💛 Support IPD Philly’s work by donating here.