On October 13th, 2025, Indigenous Peoples Day Arizona brought together community, culture, and collective purpose in a powerful gathering held at The Post in Mesa, Arizona. Rooted in this year’s theme, “home finds us when our fires burn together,” the event created a space where connection, resistance, and resurgence were both honored and actively practiced.
With 150 community members in attendance, the event featured a dynamic lineup of speakers, artists, and organizers whose work continues to uplift Indigenous voices and protect Indigenous futures. We began with a panel discussion titled “No One is Free Until We Are All Free,” featuring organizers doing work on both a local and global level.
We had Diane Ovalle, who does much-needed work around freedom and justice. Then we had Shannon with O’odham Solidarity with Palestine. Lastly, we had Brian Forkum, a master’s student at ASU in the Legal Studies department. The panel focused on defending, advocating, and upholding our collective responsibility toward a more just and liberated reality for all life across generations.
Following the panel, we had DJ Portugal, who helped frame the work we do by delivering a powerful presentation on decolonization, offering both critical insight and pathways forward for those navigating the impacts of colonization in their own lives and communities.
To help center and uplift the work being shared, we welcomed Ayling Zulema Dominguez, a poet, educator, and community artist. She shared poetry that called on us to defy colonialism so we can nurture collective care. A big takeaway from her presence was the invitation to explore who we are so a liberated living can exist outside the shackles of colonization.
Our final speaker, Sabina Chester, shared reflections from her community on the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, uplifting local victories against colonization and emphasizing the strength that comes from community-led action. Her words grounded the gathering in place-based knowledge and reminded attendees of the importance of honoring and learning from the land and the people who protect it.
The day also celebrated creative expression and cultural vibrancy through live performances by Ash Da Hunter and Mogley Oney, whose artistry energized the space and brought people together through music and movement. Community vendors contributed to the gathering by sharing their work, crafts, and offerings, further reinforcing the importance of supporting local Indigenous economies and creativity.
Live art by Eatus added another layer of storytelling, visually capturing the spirit of the event as it unfolded. Their work reflected the theme in real time, illustrating how creativity, culture, and collective presence can transform a space into something sacred and shared, which is resurgence in real time. Being Indigenous is also being able to create at any moment.
The day centered on nourishment in every sense. Guests were provided free meals from Tacos Huicho, ensuring that everyone present could share in food, conversation, and togetherness. This act of feeding the people reflected a deeper value, that care, reciprocity, and access are essential to building strong, grounded communities.
Throughout the day, the theme “home finds us when our fires burn together” was not just spoken, it was felt. In the laughter, the conversations, the learning, and the shared meals, a sense of home emerged, not as a physical place, but as a living connection between people, land, and purpose.
Indigenous Peoples Day Arizona 2025 was more than an event, it reminded us that when we gather with intention, honor our responsibilities, and uplift one another, we create spaces where belonging naturally exists. Where our fires, our knowledge, our stories, our resistance, and our love, burn together, home will always find us.