As we look back on 2025 at yəhaw̓ Indigenous Creatives Collective, we carry a deep sense of gratitude for the dedication of our supporters, artists, and community members who have joined us on the land and at events.
Throughout the year, we welcomed over 2,912 visits, including land visits, programs, and rentals, and worked with more than 73 diverse artists, providing nearly 90 paid opportunities. These efforts contributed to strengthening our creative community and continuing to amplify Indigenous voices. Financially, we've raised over $50,000 through donations and major gifts, and received grants totaling more than $1.4 million from major funders, supporting everything from land stewardship to cultural programs.
Together, we will continue to nurture this space as a sanctuary of belonging, togetherness, cultural connection, and collective care.
A Year in Review:
Community Engagement: Welcomed over 2,912 visits to the land, hosted over 140 events, including cultural activities, workshops, youth programs, retreats, and art events.
Creative Growth: Curated a gallery show with 12 artists, worked with and/or paid 73 artists, and launched a roster with 110 artists and counting.
Infrastructure Improvements: Purchased a new fridge and a stove thanks to the Food Equity fund, a new furnace thanks to the Solutions Project, and installed rain barrels with Tilth.
Land Stewardship: Planted over 175 new plants, created seed library from the previous season, removed invasive or dead trees, ivy, and blackberry, added accessible footbridges, and added a gravel walkway.
Expansion of Resources: Acquired carriage house and funded greenhouse build, built outdoor pavilion with Sawhorse Revolution, acquired yard games, created a nursing room, and added a library.
ART
Our art initiatives are designed to uplift Indigenous voices, celebrate diverse artistic practices, and foster connections among artists and community members. We strive to create spaces where artists can share their stories, engage in meaningful collaboration, and explore innovative ways to connect. This section showcases our recent art accomplishments, including exhibitions, creative residencies, and community projects.
Artist Roster:
Our Artist Roster launched in January of this year and now includes 110 artists, with new artists added every quarter. Through this list, we have sourced artists for paid projects and collaborations.
Genealogist Josie Lundquist (Lower Elwha Klallam/Confederated Salish and Kootenai descent) joined our team in 2025 to support our artists and community members in gathering essential documents for tribal identification and cultural reconnecting. So far, she has successfully researched over seven family trees from tribes across the US.
CSMOFA Coast Salish Museum of Fine Arts
This year, we curated The Land Remembers in partnership with TCMOFA for their annual Native Arts Exhibition at CSMOFA (Coast Salish Museum of Fine Arts). We were able to give each artist an honorarium for their participation.
Featured Artists:
Sophia Anderson (Shoalwater Bay Tribe)
Alison Bremner (Tlingit)
Aganaq (Curyung Tribe)
Hexe Fey (Oglala Lakota)
Malia Peoples (Kanaka Maoli)
Sara Siestreem (Hanis Coos)
Taylor White (Skokomish/Squaxin)
Amber Stephens (Puyallup)
Rachel Kopel (Tlingit)
Andrew Roibal (Acoma Pueblo) (Acoma Pueblo)
Griffin Quinn (Tsimshian)
Arlin Yazzie (Diné)
855 visitors from opening to closing
Creative Residencies, Art & Projects
2025 Creative Residencies and projects:
At yəhaw̓ Indigenous Creatives Collective, our creative residencies provide artists with dedicated studio space within our home. Throughout their residency, artists receive social media promotion and support to help elevate their visibility as they create a body of work. This year, we also added more artist projects, including our Forest Gallery.
Kimberly Corinne Deriana (Mandan and Hidatsa): Mentor and designer for the rematriation pavilion and leading model-making and community visioning workshops.
Jen Wood (Yup'ik): Teaching wood carving and mentoring youth in the Sawhorse cohort.
Jackie Crane (Cowlitz): Designing an outdoor pavilion near the sweat lodge.
Red Rock Eagle Standing Perkins & Dr. Alayna Eagle Shield (Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, Standing Rock Nation): Building the community sweat lodge.
Nathan Chambers (Jicarilla Apache): re-envisioning our greenhouse.
Forest Gallery Artists:
Brandi Douglas (Puyallup/Muckleshoot/Nooksack)
Rachel Singletary-Kopel (Tlingit)
Tammie Dupuis (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation)
Hexe Fey (Oglala Lakota)
A Few of our Artists and Projects:
Steph Littlebird (Grand Ronde Confederation-Chinook/Kalapuya), graphic design & art
Jack George (Yakima), photography
Andrew Roibal (Acoma Pueblo), photography, rematriation celebration polaroids, and TCMOFA show
Shyanne Yellowbird (Samson Cree First Nation), videography, vendor
Ashley Frantz (Makah), photography
Inanna kʷaɁowišč tyee McCarty (Makah Tribe), graphic design & art
Roselle Wahulice Fryberg (Tulalip), graphic design & art
Chef Jeremy Thunderbird (Ohlone, Chumash, Squamish), catering
Chef Olivia Ford (Nisqually), catering
William Nu'utupu Giles (Samoan), Hands on the Land poetry, & an amazing volunteer on our land days helping us tackle blackberries
COMMUNITY
By prioritizing Indigenous-led initiatives and promoting sustainable practices, we aim to create a space where individuals can learn, grow, and celebrate culture together. We are grateful for the continued support from our community and partners, which enables us to make a meaningful impact as we nurture and build community.
Workshops and Culture Nights
Still Life Drawing with Paige Pettibon (Salish).
Tulalip Yellow Cedar Basketweaving Class with Jamie (Sheldon) Arnold (Tulalip)
Beaded Sun Drops with Amanda Chavira (Quileute/Quinault)
Two Native Artist Workshops with Mikaela Shafer (Hopi) and Mel Carter
Kapa inspired stamp making with Malia Peoples (Kanaka Maoli)
Model making with Kimberly Corinne Deriana (Mandan and Hidatsa).
Nature beads with Asia Tail (Cherokee)
Nature dyes with Ksgooga Gwisgwaasgm Gyemk | Janice Jainga Lonergan (Ts'msyen – Lak Gi Bou (Ts’ymsen Wolf Clan))
Wood carving from an Indigenous perspective with Jennifer Angaiak Wood (Yup'ik).
Brick stitch earrings with Cherokee beadworker Kolbi Monasmith
Protection Pins with Kajsa Cottier (Oglala and Sicangu Lakota)
Events in our Space
This year, we have hosted over 45 rental events attracting over 1,780 visitors, including community gatherings, retreats, festivals, markets, and educational events. We are excited to offer our space for community use, free of charge for BIPOC groups that align with our values.
Events Include:
4Culture Native Advisory Council
BIPOC Embroidery Circle
Black Farmers Collective Board Retreat
Cherokee Weavers Club
The Common Acre work parties and workshops
Families of Color Seattle Staff Retreat
Gi Matan Guma’ Chant and Guma’ Gela’ Band Practice
Kabataan Alliance Youth Group
MALI’E’ • TÁTAOTAO
Native Educator Gathering
Superfamilia Food Pantry
Seattle Hoodoo Arts Fest
SIHB: Board of Directors Retreat
Speculative Fiction Youth Camp
And so much more!
Rematriation Celebration
Our first big fundraising event on the land drew over 130 visitors who came together to celebrate community, art, and culture. With live music, drag performances, vendors, art activities, and film screenings, attendees experienced a diverse celebration of Indigenous creativity. Thanks to generous sponsors and donors, the event raised over $5,000 to support future programs.
Featured live music performances by DJ Gila Suspectum and DJ Libbi (Choctaw).
Drag by Hailey Tayathy (Quileute).
Films by Emma Barrow (Cherokee), Olivia Camfield (Muscogee Creek), Shyanne Yellowbird (Samson Cree First Nation), Woodrow Hunt (Klamath/Modoc, Cherokee), and Mikaela Shafer (Hopi).
Art market and sales featured works by artists including Tava Kairaiuak (Dena'ina, Yup'ik), Mary Kelsay (Village of Nikolski), Lauren Moores (Sioux), Jenee Redecker (Chehalis), Bethany Fackrell (Snoqualmie), Brandi Douglas (Puyallup), Laika M Taddei (Choctaw), Kajsa Cottier (Lakota), Denise Emerson (Skokomish/Navajo), Andrew Roibal (Acoma Pueblo), Nychelle Schneider (Snoqualmie), Hexe Fey (Oglala Lakota), Jordan LeBeau (Cherokee), and others.
Event sponsors included Climate Pledge Arena and Seattle Urban Native Non Profits.
Beading kit giveaway created by Cynthia Masterson (Comanche).
Outdoor activities included a corn hole game and fire pit created by Earl Davis of Shoalwater Bay Tribe.
Tabling program
This year, we proudly hired a dedicated team to represent yəhaw̓ Indigenous Creatives Collective at various tabling events, extending our reach and sharing our mission through art activities and community information. Our amazing paid tabling team — Fernanda Jardim, Ariana Vallejo, Luna, Quynza Ochoa, Megan Castillo, Malia Peoples, Theo Wright, Elisha Sneddy, Alicia Patterson, Britt Rynearson, Ender, Erin Tail, and Zay Montejano — played a vital role in engaging with diverse communities across numerous venues. Their efforts ensured that our work, including artworks, cultural programs, and community initiatives, reached a wider audience.
Throughout the year, our team tabled at 11 important community events such as the Gates Foundation Earth Day Celebration, the NAN/UNEA Resource Fair, the documentary screening of ‘Outgrow the System,’ the Puyallup Tribe Pride Event, the Rainier Beach Walk the Block Party, the Seattle Waterfront Park Festival, and the Skyway Farmers Market. They also participated in the annual UNEA Billy Mills Run/Walk for Life, representing our organization, sharing information about our projects, and facilitating engaging art activities. These outreach efforts not only promoted our programs but also helped forge new relationships and deepen existing ones, strengthening our community presence and advancing our collective goals.
Yəhaw̓ Team Community Engagement
Our team is deeply engaged in our communities, actively participating in various workshops, volunteer opportunities, and initiatives that strengthen our connections and support Indigenous arts and culture. As a team, we visited Salish Roots and Heron’s Nest to volunteer. Here are some of the ways our team is involved in our communities individually.
Asia’s Engagement:
Asia's contributions to the community include actively participating in the Native Artist Development Panel at the Evergreen House Of Welcome Longhouse. She has also strengthened community governance by joining 4Culture’s Board of Directors, and Seattle University’s advisory group for the Indigenous Peoples Institute. She volunteers for the Cherokee Community of Puget Sound, where she takes Cherokee language and culture classes, in her ongoing work of reconnecting with her tribal heritage.
Mel’s Engagement:
Mel debuted their art and engaged with the arts community during their solo art show at 4Culture. They also engaged in community learning by attending The Common Acre’s Biochar event, led by Stephanie Riedl, which focuses on sustainable land practices rooted in Coast Salish and Sts’ailes traditions. Additionally, Mel participated in a BIPOC Wilderness First Aid Course, hosted by Braided Seeds and Washington Trails Association, further emphasizing their commitment to community safety and environmental stewardship. They also contributed tangible resources by providing tool storage in the garage and gardening tools to support land care and ongoing work.
Mikaela’s Engagement:
Mikaela served on the Native Artist Development Panel at the Evergreen House of Welcome Longhouse, helping support Indigenous artists. Mikaela also led social media workshops for the South Puget Sound Intertribal Planning Agency and taught storytelling through social media to programs like Stronger Together and Nuestras Historias. Their work has been recognized through a solo exhibition at All My Relations, participation in prominent events such as the Santa Fe Indian Market and the Seattle Art Fair, and curating CSMoFA. Mikaela has received the Artist Trust Innovator Award, been featured as an Arts Walk artist, and taken on leadership roles, including serving as Vice Chair of the Olympia Creative District board. They have also shared their expertise through talks at Northeastern University and Cornish College of the Arts.
LAND & HOME
At yəhaw̓ Indigenous Creatives Collective, our commitment to rematriating the land goes beyond physical improvements; it embodies a dedication to nurturing relationships, cultural practices, and community well-being. We recognize the importance of caring for our home, fostering a safe, inclusive environment for BIPOC communities, particularly our Native neighbors. By creating spaces for connection, knowledge sharing, and collaboration, we aim to strengthen our community's resilience and safeguard our shared cultural heritage.
Through our land stewardship efforts and community initiatives, we are driven by our belief that caring for the land is intrinsically linked to caring for our people. By planting native species, hosting workshops, and facilitating land care days, we are actively cultivating a deep sense of responsibility towards the land and one another. we have added over 175 plants to the land and hosted 32 volunteer land days.
We have welcomed over 2,900 visitors to our site during events and guiding guests through our 2 acres during land tours. During these tours, participants have the opportunity to learn about various native plants, their ecological significance, and their cultural uses. We also share the rich history of the land, fostering an understanding of its importance to Indigenous communities.
Land care days and projects
Land Days and Land Stewardship Highlights
This year, we built community and cultural connections through a series of dedicated land days. We are grateful for all the volunteers and partner organizations who contributed their time and expertise to help during these volunteer days.
Volunteer & Partner Contributions:
Thank you to Alanna and Erica for their devoted time to the hedge row weeding, helping clear invasive species.
Thanks to JP, Sol, Jay, Julia, Kai and friends, who are focused on seed saving and preserving native plant varieties.
Several partners and guest groups supported special projects, including:
4Culture staff uncovered a long-buried slate slab, revealing its historical significance,
Seattle Department of Neighborhoods staff cleaned and restored our old wishing well to become a pond,
Seattle University students worked on ivy removal, and
Tilth Alliance’s cohort installed rain barrels for sustainable water management.
Living Pond — Work in Progress:
Our pond project continues with exciting additions, including cattail, duckweed, sedges, and a tree-limb bridge designed for easy access by small creatures. Kids visiting the pond are especially drawn to this natural feature, encouraging curiosity and connection with nature.
Planting & Gardening Highlights:
Over 100 garden plants and 50 wetland plants, plus more across the land, have been planted to support native ecosystems.
The community garden is partially funded by a Food Equity Fund award from the City of Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods.
The garden features medicine beds with sweetgrass, white sage, anise hyssop, and mullein, alongside art and dye beds with indigo, chamomile, Hopi black sunflowers, Hopi red amaranth, marigolds, and Cherokee plants like Job’s Tears.
Edible plants include tomatoes, Georgia Candy roaster squash, heritage corn, peas, beans, red cabbage, and pineapple sage.
Remediation efforts include installing willows and sunflowers to improve soil health and water filtration.
Kid-friendly beds are filled with safe sensory plants for smelling, tasting, and touching, helping develop early connections to land and culture.
Land Tours:
Created land map with Steph Littlebird (Grand Ronde Confederation - Chinook/Kalapuya)
Dozens of tours, including:
Got Green
Laird Norton
Seattle's LGBTQ+ Center Youth Cohort
Schools like Seattle University and several high schools
Youth Visits from City of Seattle’s Fresh Perspectives, King County Parks Youth Conservation Corps, and UPS Passages 2025
4Culture
Compass Housing Alliance
And many more tours given to visitors during events and open land days
Hands on the Land
In April, our Hands on the Land event, held in partnership with Metamimicry, focused on ecological restoration efforts, including the Mapes Creek cleanup and the creation of biofilter straw wattles made from burlap sacks and hay inoculated with mycelium spores. These biofilters help manage runoff and protect the creek, fostering healthier watershed conditions.
In November, another Hands on the Land event continued these restoration efforts, with a focus on planting native vegetation along the vernal pools and wetlands to prevent erosion and support habitat health. Community volunteers also removed invasive species like buttercup, helping to restore the natural flow of water. William Nu'utupu Giles (Samoan) led a poetry station during the workday, adding a storytelling and art activity to the event.
Sawhorse Revolution
In the spring of 2025, Sawhorse Revolution, guided by co-mentors Jennifer Angaiak Wood (Yup’ik) and Kimberly Corinne Deriana (Mandan and Hidatsa), undertook a meaningful project to build the Indigenous Rematriation Pavilion at the Indigenous Creatives Collective. From March to June, over thirteen sessions, a devoted team of ten mentors worked closely with a youth cohort of twelve students, providing them with invaluable hands-on learning experiences rooted in Indigenous knowledge, community collaboration, and craftsmanship. This versatile pavilion will serve as a multi-use site for classes, workshops, gatherings, and other community activities.
Both Jennifer Angaiak Wood (Yup’ik) and Kimberly Corinne Deriana (Mandan and Hidatsa) brought their expertise, leadership, and knowledge of Indigenous skills to every stage of the project. Jennifer, a Yup’ik artist from our roster, shared her Indigenous carving knowledge and guiding principles. Kimberly, a Mandan and Hidatsa architect, contributed her skills and vision. We were reunited with the timbers from Kim’s “Brings the Medicine Sundial,” which debuted at our yəhaw̓ at King Street Station exhibition in 2019, and have returned to the land as our new Rematriation Pavilion.
Sweatlodge
We have collaborated with Red Rock Eagle Standing Perkins & Dr. Alayna Eagle Shield (Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, Standing Rock Nation) to build a sweat lodge on the land as part of their creative residency, which will serve as a space for healing, ceremony, and gathering for the Indigenous community right here in Seattle. As Dr. Eagle Shield shares, “we want to help co-create a sweat lodge space that is respectfully stewarded. We will dress it and undress it, take care of it, always make sure it is cleaned, like a living thing. We want to learn the protocols of this land and also share what we've been taught.”
This inspiring couple has dedicated their lives to strengthening community, land, and tradition through their work, teachings, and ongoing efforts in cultural revitalization. Red Rock, from the lands of the Three Affiliated Tribes (Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara), and Alayna, from the Standing Rock Nation, have been together for 14 years and are proud parents of five children.
Their work extends beyond that. They’ve helped teach Indigenous language, co-founded the Native Family Learning Lodge to support families in passing on culture, language, and lifeways, and actively work to reconnect their community to ancestral teachings, especially in an urban setting.
Carriage house
In July, after two years of dedicated relationship-building and strategic negotiations, yəhaw̓ Indigenous Creatives Collective proudly purchased the historic Carriage House adjacent to our existing 1.5-acre greenspace and the brick house in Rainier Beach. The structures, which have stood for over a century, were meticulously cleared and asbestos removed, with structural work underway—all confirmed by engineers as salvageable. This achievement marks a major “Land Back” victory, restoring land to Indigenous stewardship and affirming our vision of transforming this site into a vibrant Indigenous arts center rooted in community care. Acquired for $400,000 through a combination of grants, a zero-interest loan from the Laird Norton Family Foundation, and unforseen opportunity funds from 4Culture, this purchase represents a strategic milestone in our long-term growth.
Our team, working closely with realtor Dawn Turnipseed and real estate attorney Andrew Zellers, navigated complex negotiations to secure these historic buildings—once service quarters for workers—now envisioned as artist co-working spaces, a library, and a gallery. This purchase completes the third phase of our land strategy, allowing us to preserve and repurpose these structures as monuments to community labor and resilience. We remain committed to creating an Indigenous Arts Center that celebrates Indigenous creativity, land rematriation, and community strength—a living testament to Indigenous presence, stories, and cultural endurance for generations to come.
Infrastructure Developments
In our ongoing efforts to create a safe, welcoming space for our BIPOC community, we’ve made several important infrastructure improvements:
Appliances
New fridge and stove thanks to Food Equity Fund
New furnace, thanks to funding from the Solutions Project - installed by Native-owned company Hawk’s Heating and Air
Nursing room - ergonomic kid play furniture/nap area, blackout curtains, free diapers and wipes, low stim and natural material toys
Signage
Seed library added based on community visioning survey requests
ADA accessible outdoor bathroom
Cornhole & house games- Artist Earl Davis (Shoalwater Bay Tribe)
Library
Donations from the late Dr. Barbara Brotherton, as well as Shoalwater Bay tribal weaver Karen Engle and her family
Other donations made to the house:
Beads - Tammie, Corinna
Justina - lights and carving tools
Becca - Shelves, printer, vending, and printmaking supplies
Dana, our neighborhood arborist - donated tools and time
Wadiyah - fabric and art supplies
Michelle - tools and art supplies
Salish Roots farm - arnica, mullein plants, garlic scapes
Rose Island Farm - corn starts
Mary - bones and books
THE NUMBERS
In this section, we provide a snapshot of our community impact through key metrics, social media engagement, and funding achievements. This overview highlights our collective efforts in supporting Indigenous and BIPOC artists while showcasing the community's active participation in our programs. Our social media performance reflects a growing interest in our initiatives, particularly in Indigenous language and cultural issues.
This data highlights the growth and engagement of yəhaw̓ Indigenous Creatives Collective within the community, as well as the impact of our programs and initiatives. As we continue to expand our reach, we remain committed to uplifting Indigenous voices and fostering meaningful connections within our BIPOC community
32 Friday land volunteer days
232 volunteer visits
25+ organizations partnered with
140+ programs and gatherings
1132+ visits for ICC events
1780+ visits through rentals
89 paid income-generating artist opportunities
110+ artists added to the Creatives roster
1560+ in-person reach through ICC off-site programs, tabling, and partnerships
Tribes represented
This list of tribes represents the nations of the artists, partners, and collaborators we have worked with. While it is an incomplete list, it gives an idea of the diversity and reach of our network.
Cowlitz
Chinook
Hopi
Cherokee
Yup’ik
Jicarilla Apache
Mandan
Hidatsa
Arikara
Standing Rock Nation
Ts’msyen
Kanaka Maoli
Salish
Quinault
Quileute
Muckleshoot
Puyallup
Nooksack
Oglala Lakota
Tlingit
Blackfeet
Yakama
Tulalip
Shoalwater Bay
Skokomish
Squaxin
Acoma Pueblo
Diné
Sicangu Lakota
Tsimshian
Hanis Coos
Sts’ailes
Choctaw
Muscogee Nation
Samson Cree First Nation
Klamath
Modoc
Makah Tribe
Tsawout First Nation
Curyung Tribe
Kootenai tribe
Kalapuya
Grand Rhonde Confederation
Ohlone
Chumash
Squamish
Nisqually
Samoan
Sioux
Comanche
Chehalis
THANK YOUS
Thank you to our many volunteers and SUPPORTERS, including:
Photographers Nicholas Swatz and Raven Wade
Artist Raven Juarez and Native Learning Lodge
Ravenstail Weavers
Joel Romero for land care
Gutters Plus
Mark and South Seattle Emerald
Stein Skattum and Margery Subic
Stephen Yamada-Heidner and Architects Without Borders
Legendary Tree Service
Clarion West
Lushootseed Research
Black Farmers Collective
Communities Rise
Bats Northwest
Baba Yaga and Babe Night
Rainier Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands
Seattle's LGBTQ+ Center
Sawhorse Revolution team and mentors
Jordan Remington
Lorin Schmidt Dunlop
Chris Day for bookkeeping
Our tabling team
All the artists we’ve worked with and who have attended
and many more donors and volunteers who gave their time on the land
hank you to our Funders:
4Culture
Artsfund
City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture
City of Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods
Earth Rising Foundation
Forterra
King County Parks
King County Water & Land Resources Division
Laird Norton Family Foundation
M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust
Mellon Foundation
Native Voices Rising (fiscally sponsored by the Common Counsel Foundation)
Potlatch Fund
Pride Foundation
Seattle Foundation
Seattle Parks Foundation, Rainier Beach Link2Lake, & Ashley Townes on our Mapes Creek Education and Engagement Project
Seattle People’s Fund
Social Justice Fund NW
The Hugh and Jane Ferguson Foundation
The Norcliffe Foundation
The Solutions Project
United Way King County
Washington Native American Chamber of Commerce