Save the Date: November 17th, 2026  ||  1:40pm - 2:50pm

Location: John Jay College 09.64 New Building

Urban environments have no “natural” analogue, bringing together diverse people of all taxa in unique spatiotemporal configurations. Though a positive association has been observed between cultural diversity and biodiversity, this connection is not well explored in urban areas. Though broad generalizations would like us to believe that Native American people are either a thing of the past or relegated to the reservation, Indigenous peoples continue to exist and sustain their identities in urban environments. In fact, New York City has one of the largest Indigenous populations in the country and is full of ecologically significant, diverse ecosystems—making it perfect for studying how Native identities can be expressed, sustained, and uplifted by urban green spaces and biodiversity. In this talk, I will discuss my findings on biocultural diversity in NYC and how I practice Indigenous science in the context of urban ecology.