Work continues to increase visibility for all Indigenous people in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- For the second year, the City of Philadelphia is officially recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day.

It was a decision meant to increase visibility, but some members of the Indigenous community still don't feel seen.

"With the United States, we inherited terms like Latino American," said Mabel Negrete of the fact that she's largely presumed to solely identify as Hispanic or Latina, but that's not how Negrete sees herself.

Her roots are in Chile as part of the Indigenous community.

"I come from the territory that is Picunche, also of Inca descent," she said.

Negrete knows not everyone thinks of someone like her when they think of Indigenous cultures.

"You have this narrative that the Indian is the people from the central region of the United States," she said.

It's a sentiment with which Adniel Abendano can identify.

"I don't think people are going to think I'm an Indigenous person," said Abendano of how he's perceived. Abendano is originally from Oxaca, Mexico and is a member of the Indigenous community there.

"Here, I'm Hispanic. In Mexico, I was a Zapotec," he said.

He now uses his screen printing and clothing business, Nocheztli, as means of artistic cultural expression.

"We like to share with the world, our art," he said.

Both he and Negrete also work to increase visibility and acceptance.

"Being accepted as Indigenous people, but also being respected as Indigenous people," he said.

Negrete co-founded Indigenous Peoples Day Philly to reflect all types of indigenous people.

"We were determined to bring visibility," she said.

In its sixth year, Indigenous Peoples Day Philly is seeing its mission come to light by shining a light on a diverse array of Indigenous cultures.

"It makes us feel that we are here and we're present," said Negrete.