Our Northeastern United States indigenous citizens are the Maliseet, Micmac, Penobscot, and Passamaquoddy, collectively make up the Wabanaki Confederacy. They are also known as "People of the Dawnland." As members of a global community, we are people of the land. With the growing climate crisis and its reverberations in our societies, we bear witness to how the land fights back. Indigo Arts Alliance and Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens commissioned the work of Anna Tsouhlarakis and Shane Perley-Dutcher to envision and create a permanent public art piece that amplifies Indigenous wisdom, artistry, and presence.

This year’s 2024 symposium and public art commissions, will focus on environmental justice in urban and rural spaces and why it is critical that Black and Brown experiences and knowledge be centered.