Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2023

Trees, Water & People (TWP) was honored to co-host Fort Collins’ 2023 Indigenous People’s Day Celebration at the site of the new mural painted to honor the ancestral homelands of Arapahoe, Cheyenne, Pawnee, Lakota, Ute and other Plains and Rocky Mountain Tribes.

Over 150 people and dozens of Indigenous lineages were represented, highlighting the richness, resilience, and diversity of Native peoples and traditions in our region. We’re grateful to all who came to share and recognize the importance of Indigenous sovereignty and survival to the cultural fabric of the United States.

Isaiah Stewart, the Lakota artist who designed and painted the mural that served as the backdrop for the celebration, shared his inspiration for the scene, which includes local landmarks such as the Council Tree, Horsetooth Rock, and Soapstone Prairie. These served as the landscape to highlight the three massive bison in the foreground, running across the Chamiza prairie.

Prayers, songs, and stories from Native American elders and spiritual leaders served as a foundation for the event, bringing an energy not often felt at the present-day shopping center where the mural sits. The presence of city, county, and state officials also was appreciated, as was a city proclamation of Indigenous People’s Day, read by Fort Collins Mayor, Jeni Arndt.

Neither the event nor the mural would have been possible without the efforts of the City of Fort Collins Fort Fund, Bohemian Fund and the Fort Collins Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, led by TWP alumni Claudia Menendez and Dr. Valerie Small. Their work reminds us that we must recognize, celebrate and uplift the cultural diversity of our communities on a daily basis, and that Tribes are present day people with present day needs, aspirations, and challenges, not just a part of history.

We at TWP are proud to have brought together such an important cross-section of our community to show support and love for our local Indigenous relatives. We also honor the spirit of local ally David Bartecchi, whose contributions to the sovereignty and strength of Indigenous peoples were remembered lovingly several times throughout the evening.

Our spirits are palpably uplifted after the event, and we hope yours were too. Thanks to all who shared this moment with us.