Who We Are: Indigenous Presence in the Ohio River Valley

We Are Still Here

We are Native Peoples living in the Ohio River Valley—not by accident, but by design. Our presence in cities and towns across Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky reflects a long history of forced removal, boarding schools, factory placements, and relocation policies. These systems tried to erase us. They failed. We remain.

This region now holds one of the largest Urban Native populations in the United States. Our communities are growing, especially among youth. And we are not silent. We are organizing, healing, protecting, and leading.

Today, nearly 2 percent of Ohio’s population—around 236,000 people—identify as Native American or Indigenous. But these numbers fall short of reality. U.S. Census data routinely undercounts Native people—especially in urban areas—and does not fully include Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. We are more than the data suggests. Our visibility, leadership, and cultural continuity speak for themselves.

We Are Accountable to Our People

At the Urban Native Collective, we take authenticity seriously. We are committed to telling the truth and staying accountable to Native Peoples first and foremost. We are not a performative space. We are a living community rooted in shared responsibility.

We learn out loud. We welcome dialogue. We are transparent in our role as community keepers, online and on the ground.

Nothing happens to one, without also happening to all

All Our Relations

'All Our Relations' is a profound phrase that encapsulates the interconnectedness of all beings and elements in the universe, as understood by Indigenous Peoples. It's a recognition that every aspect of the world is related and that we share a responsibility to each other, to nature, and to future generations. This concept fosters a deep respect for life and an understanding of our role in the larger web of existence.

Urban Native Collective emphasizes community, allyship, and active participation, while respecting and celebrating the diverse cultures of Indigenous Peoples. This and other Indigenous teachings creates a sense of deep responsibility and care with all things UNC does. We understand our connections to all things, past present and future. Our responsibility is to remember that wisdom comes from many places, and to listen to those sources.

We Speak Honestly to Non-Native Audiences

We engage non-Native audiences with clarity and respect. Our goal is to educate—not to carry the burden of emotional labor. We speak directly about current events, anti-imperialism, and Indigenous presence today. We act in solidarity with all oppressed peoples and align ourselves with international Indigenous struggles for land, freedom, and dignity.

Our origins and continued existence relies upon our community

Rooted in tradition, yet flourishing in the urban landscape, we are a testament to the resilience and adaptability of Native Peoples. Join us in celebrating Indigeneity, supporting the community, and shaping a future where every voice is heard and valued.

What We Mean by Urban Native

The term Urban Native refers to Native Peoples living in cities, towns, and suburban areas- even in rural areas, —and away from our original homelands. Some of us were born here. Others arrived through relocation programs, adoption, college, or military service. Many were forced here through removal policies. All of us carry a connection to our Tribal Nations, Indigenous Peoples, cultures, and responsibilities, no matter where we live.

Being Urban Native does not make us less Native. It means we are navigating a different context while carrying our lifeways forward. It means reclaiming visibility in places that tried to erase us. It means building kinship, care, and cultural continuity wherever we are.

This Land Holds Memory

The Ohio River Valley remembers us. This region is layered with sacred earthworks and ancient trade routes. Archaeological sites have revealed obsidian from Yellowstone, pipestone from Minnesota, copper from Lake Superior, mica from Tennessee, and shark teeth from the Atlantic coast. These materials speak to a sophisticated, connected world built by our ancestors.

In 1785, the Treaty of Fort McIntosh carved out land in northern Ohio as “Indian territory”—the first so-called reservation west of the Appalachians. That treaty was broken. What followed was violent removal, scalp bounties, and forced shipment of Native Peoples out of Ohio and Indiana. By 1843, the Wyandot were the last organized Tribal Nation removed from Ohio.

More than 97 percent of Ohio’s temperate rainforest—which had existed since the glacial melt—was destroyed. Yet our presence endures. Post holes dated to 12,000 years ago still mark the soil. The rivers remember. The mounds still breathe.

We Belong to the Land

As Tecumseh, the Shawnee leader, once asked: “Sell a country? Why not sell the air, the clouds, and the Great Sea, as well as the earth?” And he reminded us: “A single twig breaks, but the bundle of twigs is strong.” We are still that bundle. Interconnected. Present. And rising.

We want to hear from you-