This important conversation, “King Phillips War and the Indigenous Voices Today: past, present, and what our nation continues to teach” was presented as a part of the town of West Harford’s recognition of America 250. This panel invites us to reflect not only on our history, but on the living presence, resilience, and leadership of indigenous communities today. Click here for an 88-minute video posted on April 23, 2026 by West Hartford Community Interactive.

Adrienne Smith, manager of employee development and community engagement for the town of West Hartford is also a co-chair for America America 250. She introduced the panel and turned the microphone over to Stephen Pevar to summarize the King Philip’s War and pose questions of the panelists below. Stephen served as a legal aid attorney on the Rosebud Sue Indian Reservation in South Dakota where he lived and worked until 1974. He then worked for 45 years on the national staff of American Civil Liberties Union retiring in 2022.

(Above, left) Heather Angel Mars-Martins is a tribal elder, citizen, and elected tribal counselor of the Narragansett Indian Tribe of Rhode Island. Heather tells stories through the images she captures honoring indigenous life and connection to the land. (Above, center) Crystal Baker is a Narragansett Tribal Citizen, educator, and advocate whose work centers on uplifting native voices and creating inclusive, truthful, and educational spaces. She is the education manager at the Tamaquag Museum. (Above, right) Nakai Clearwater Northup is a Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Citizen and an indigenous educator and public speaker who specializes in sharing indigenous history, culture and perspectives through engaging presentations and community programming.

We have Kimberly Toney who is an who is an enrolled member of  the Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band and is the inaugural coordinated cur coordinating curator of Native American and indigenous collections jointly appointed to the John Carter Brown and John Hay libraries at Brown University.