Meet the Philly Organization Amplifying Indigenous History and Culture

Written by Gabe Castro.

We Are the Seeds is working to counter Indigenous invisibility in Philadelphia during the U.S.’s 250th anniversary and beyond. 

If all eyes are on this country, on this city of independence, then We Are the Seeds beckons us all to refocus. After all, Philadelphia is on Lenape land and is rich with Indigenous history, cultures, and peoples who continue to evolve and thrive today.

The 10-year-old organization is rooted in a goal to uplift Indigenous artists, cultures, and voices through events, education, and media. When Tailinh Agoyo, the organization’s co-founder and director, came to Philadelphia, she sought to combat the erasure of Native voices she saw here.  

“For us, providing [a platform] for all those out there who may not feel seen and heard is incredibly important, because we know how it feels,” said Tailinh. “Having the podcast go out into the world and creating a space for our guests to talk about their lives, their communities, their histories, and their families is so powerful.”

We Are the Seed’s podcast, From Here, With a View, started during COVID as a way to keep telling these stories remotely, evolving into a produced audio and video series that amplifies Indigenous experiences to listeners around the world, creating a modern oral history. In a landscape where Indigenous stories are often filtered, misrepresented, or siloed, From Here, With a View tells the audience that the voices they are about to hear are not from anywhere else. This is an Indigenous centered space where those around the world can engage with stories and experiences that are grounded in this land.

“We're growing up with our medicine people and our healers, and they're telling us, ‘You need to pay attention to your culture. You need to do these things because it will prepare you for life.’ As you get older, and as a Native person, hearing that is important. That’s what we’re trying to do with the podcast,” shared Zachariah Julian, Director of Artistic Production.

For the United States semiquincentennial, also known as the 250th anniversary, the team is using its platform to center Indigenous voices, stories, and contemporary experiences in a moment when these perspectives are often sidelined.

“For Indigenous peoples, these conversations cannot happen honestly without acknowledging the harsh realities of colonization and the ongoing presence of Native communities, especially in the Philadelphia region, where the narrative of the founding of America is so deeply embedded,” said Tailinh, who believes this is a perfect time to unearth truths.

For the Semiquincentennial, We Are the Seeds is developing an installation and visual art project with Mohawk artist Roger Perkins, scheduled for exhibition on September 19 and 20 at the annual We Are the Seeds Philly + Powwow at Cherry Street Pier.

This project responds directly to the phrase “merciless Indian savages” from the Declaration of Independence, using art to examine the ongoing impact of colonial narratives and the dehumanization of Indigenous peoples in foundational American texts. Roger will be featured in an upcoming episode of the podcast From Here, With a View, filmed in part at Seeds Philly.

At first, there was a hesitancy to participate in the anniversary of a country responsible for displacement, colonization, broken treaties, and exclusion. 

Rather than letting mainstream media shape the narrative of the U.S. 250th, We Are the Seeds is ensuring Indigenous people speak for themselves, allowing the community to share histories, present-day realities, and visions for the future. In re-centering this moment, they are disrupting mainstream narratives that simplify and suppress the truth about the United States’ founding.

“As an artist from the Jicarilla Apache Nation and director of artistic production at We Are the Seeds, this moment feels huge,” Zachariah shared. “Our focus is on recognizing that Indigenous people thrived here long before 1776 and remain here today.”

Beyond 1776: Reclaiming and Centering Indigenous Narratives

We Are the Seeds is encouraging intergenerational healing by bringing conversations about the Indigenous experience before and after 1776 into the present.

In another From Here, With a View episode, Zachariah explored the Library Company of Philadelphia's archives for his project "Beyond Glass Cases," uncovering the work of Samuel George Morton, whose pseudoscientific theories about race helped advance white supremacist ideology. 

The project became deeply personal. It included Zachariah's mother sharing her experience in government-funded residential boarding schools, many of which were shut down as recently as the 1970s in the U.S. and 1990s in Canada, where Indigenous children were forcibly separated from their families in an effort to erase their cultures. The schools were underfunded and overcrowded, and many children lost their lives to abuse; truths the government is still unearthing today.

“A little segment of it has my mom talking about her experience in boarding schools. That was a healing moment, I think, for both of us, but especially my mother. Just having her talk about it, getting the story out, and hearing the reactions was healing,” shares Zachariah. 

Exhuming dark history is a skill and passion for the team, illuminating truths wherever possible. An upcoming episode of the show will feature an interview with Morgan Lloyd, an Afro-Indigenous (Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape descent) public historian who explores Black, Brown, and Indigenous histories, highlighting a Philadelphia where these communities were deeply woven into the city’s economic, cultural, and civic landscape. 

As part of the team’s commitment to bringing communities together and creating lasting visibility for voices that are often overlooked, We Are the Seeds launched a collaboration with the Drag Arts Oral History Project (DAOHP), a Philly-based archival initiative. By connecting the project with Indigenous drag artists in their community, We Are the Seeds is helping ensure these artists’ stories are both recorded in DAOHP’s permanent oral history archive and featured on the podcast. The episodes will explore the intersections of Indigenous identity, queerness, performance, and preservation, expanding a commitment to inclusive and nuanced storytelling.

“We want our work to lead to deeper, long-term relationships, more equitable partnerships, and greater recognition of Indigenous communities as living and essential parts of Philadelphia’s past, present, and future,” said Tailinh.

We Are the Seeds will continue reshaping the narratives that have defined this city and nation by creating genuine spaces for Native artists, youth, and families to see themselves reflected and valued. 

“As an East Coast Indigenous-led organization based in Philadelphia, it has been especially important for us to reflect and uplift Native communities from this region,” said Tailinh. “Too often, the histories, cultures, and contemporary experiences of Eastern Native peoples remain overlooked and misunderstood.”

The work of amplifying Native voices and experiences expands past commemorative events and is needed beyond milestone moments. That’s why We Are the Seeds is doing the work to shift the conversation about the Indigenous community in a lasting and deeply rooted way. 

Photo Credits: Max McDonald for We Are the Seeds
 

Gabe Castro is a nonbinary, Latine cultural critic and community builder with deep roots in Philadelphia's media scene. Passionate about using media as a tool for social change, Gabe has built their reputation on amplifying diverse voices and fostering meaningful community engagement throughout the city.