Alianza Indigenas Sin Fronteras is hosting an Indigenous Peoples’ Day event at the Global Justice Center in Tucson on Oct. 13.

The organization is facilitating a grassroots event focused on the recognition and cultural significance of Indigenous peoples, their communities and the ongoing struggle for representation and human rights, said JS Torres, program manager at Indigenous Alliance.

“It’s really important for our culture to keep on going and have these conversations about what’s happening within our worlds,” Torres said. “Our mission is to preserve the rights of Indigenous people, the mobility of our indigenous people, and to protect mother earth.”

Torres, 24, is Chicana and Akimel O’odham on her mother’s side and on her father’s side is Tlingit, Shoshone, Lakota and Filipino. 

“I oversee all of the different programs that we have, which is our main programming, which does World Water Day, Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Woman’s Day,” they said. 

Indigenous Alliance started plans for Indigenous Peoples’ Day in January. This year, for the first time it will include a kids corner that will be open from 3-10 p.m.

The event costs about $20,000 to host and heavily relies on donations and sponsorships as well as vendors, to feed guests and pay cultural performers and speakers, Torres said. 

There are 57 vendors for Indigenous Peoples’ Day with more than 60 volunteers signed up, Torres said. 

“Each year the vendors get bigger, so this year we’re increasing it to 45,” they said. “If we can fit 50 people that’d be awesome. We’d love to accept them all. It’s just us looking at the space we have because there’s only so much street we can take.”

Vendors

Local, Indigenous Tucson vendor Josie Rios, 41, is from the Akimel O’odham Tribe and identifies as Mex-indigenous. She has been helping Torres contact and access vendors since last year’s event. 

“This will be my second year. Last year was my first time, and it was the biggest turn out, so I am super excited to help out again this year,” she said. 

Rios has a small beading business called Beads Over Diamonds. Her business started three years ago, but beading has always been a lifestyle, she said.

 She beads earrings, bracelets and necklaces while also hosting the Indigenous Market on Fourth Avenue, where she sells her jewelry. She also works at Pop Cycle on Fourth Avenue.

 “When I got hired at Pop Cycle, I was wearing earrings that I made, and they were like, ‘Hey do you make those?’ and I was like, “‘Yeah!’” she recalled.

When Rios first started to help coordinate vendors for Indigenous Peoples’ Day, she used an existing list of vendors, but with the help of the Indigenous Market, she started to introduce new vendors. 

She said being aware of vendor’s communication preferences is important, as is consistent communication about what is expected.

“As Indigenous peoples, as caretakers of this land, you know we take care of each other,” she added. “I think it’s just showing up, we’re taking care of each other, and people see that and say, “‘Well how do we keep this going?’”

Tamelyn Adakai-Daniel, 41, is bringing her businesses, Native Aesthetics and Wellness, to Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Adakai-Daniel is from Dennehotso on the Navajo Reservation. She has been working in Tucson for the last two years.

Located on Broadway Boulevard, Native Aesthetics and Wellness provides aesthetic treatments, skin rejuvenation and wellness services.

Her goal is to create a safe space for Natives and people of color.

 “I wanted to be able to be accessible, especially to Indigenous peoples here in Tucson,” she said. “I just want them to feel comfortable with coming for these aesthetic procedures.” 

On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, she plans to table and showcase her business, as well as offer fun activities, like a raffle, giving out gift cards and specials. 

“A lot of people don’t know that I’m here still, as an Indigenous owned med spa, I’ve noticed it’s a lot of word of mouth,” Adakai-Daniel said. 

She hopes to inspire other women and Indigenous people.

“You can do this too,” she said.

At the event

Indigenous Peoples’ Day brings together people of all walks of life, including members of Tucson’s Indigenous communities, Torres said.

“It has always been a labor of love. We as staff and volunteers dedicate months and months of work, nonstop on the weekends and our days off, so this year we are focusing on not burning ourselves out and pushing back time,” they said.

This year, there will also be a kids corner, where children can be supervised while parents enjoy the event. 

“It’s the first time we’ve ever had a dedicated section for kids and their families,” Torres said. “It’s been a big ask for years and we just haven’t had the people power to make it happen.”

Alianza Indigenas Sin Fronteras is an outreach organization that focuses on protecting human and civil rights of Indigenous peoples along the United States border for 28 years. Their community work is centered on preserving the mobility of Indigenous tribes across the border. 

Located at the Historic Y on University Boulevard, the center distributes plant medicine to communities and has an Indigenous Language Office of translators that speak more than 20 Indigenous languages to communicate with undocumented people in need of support.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day will be at the Global Justice Center on East 26th Street from 2:30-10 p.m. on Monday. 

For more information, visit the Alianza Indigenas Sin Fronteras Instagram account.

Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.