Four activists speak during a panel discussion hosted by the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian on Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Clockwise, from top left: Amber Starks, Joy SpearChief-Morris, Autumn Rose Williams and Kyle T. Mays. (Still video image courtesy of Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.)

To much of North America, the Indigenous community may be nearly invisible. Add the element of being Black, and the issue is completely misunderstood.

On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, four young Black Indigenous activists working to change that spoke about their heritage, solidarity and how they view Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The hour-long virtual panel, coinciding with the national holiday otherwise known as Columbus Day, was hosted by Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian.

Panelists: Joy SpearChief-Morris (African American and Kainai Nation [Blood Tribe]), Kyle T. Mays (Black and Saginaw Chippewa), and Autumn Rose Williams (Black and Shinnecock). Moderated by Amber Starks (African American and Muscogee [Creek]).

Here are some of the video highlights from the conversation.