This City is So Indigenous

This City is So Indigenous

August 31, 2027) This theme will focus the Center’s events and Fellows’ initiatives on the Indigeneities that so uniquely constitute New York City. The Center’s activities in relation to the theme are diverse in reach: some attend to the Lenape communities here and in diaspora, their histories and their ongoing presence and futures; others explore the global diversity of Indigenous peoples and families living in New York, including youth and families from the Latin American diaspora and other communities. The biennial theme guides our programming across the next two years including our reading groups, talks, workshops, screenings and collaborative learning programs.

This theme coincides with the commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the “founding” of New York City in 2026, for which other institutions and organizations in the city are already making plans. Our theme anchors qualitative research that nurtures the presentation and sharing of stories about the countless realities of Indigenous People in NYC.

During 2026, the Center and its inaugural group of Fellows will observe the anniversary in a more critical way. With this theme, the Center will be an important hub for reflecting on this “anniversary” and what it means for how we understand Manahatta and New York City as Indigenous lands and waters. an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business.”