Two Women, a Coffee Shop & a History They Refused to Let Disappear | Tori Jackson & Valerie Adams

What happens when history isn’t simply written down—but carried from one person to another? In Montgomery, Alabama, Tori Jackson and Valerie Adams are creating spaces for Indigenous people to gather, celebrate, educate, create, and make sure their stories continue to be heard. Together, they co-founded the Alabama Indigenous Coalition, an organization that began with an idea between two women in a coffee shop and has grown into seven years of community-building, Indigenous advocacy, education, art, and cultural celebration. In this episode of Rich Unconventionally, I step into their world to experience an Indigenous community event firsthand—and what begins with dancing, ribbon skirts, beadwork, artwork, and laughter quickly becomes a much deeper conversation. Tori opens up about being a descendant of Muskogee people, her family’s experience with assimilation, the dreams that helped guide her toward this work, and how her artwork became another way to educate and preserve stories. Valerie takes us deeper into Indigenous artistry, community-building, and what it means to “plant the seed” rather than simply chase expansion. Together, we talk about visibility, erasure, Indigenous Peoples Day, missing and murdered Indigenous people, the importance of elders and oral history, and what communities can do to ensure Indigenous history isn’t treated as something that only existed in the past. And somewhere between the art, the dancing, the history, and a few unexpected laughs, one question becomes impossible to ignore: Who keeps the story alive when the people carrying it are gone? This isn’t simply a conversation about preserving history. It’s about deciding what gets carried forward. I’m Chrissi L, and this is Rich Unconventionally. Who are you? Featuring: Tori Jackson — Co-Founder, Alabama Indigenous Coalition Valerie Adams — Co-Founder, Alabama Indigenous Coalition 📍 Montgomery, Alabama #indigenous #indigenousday #montgomeryalabama #nativeamerican #history #nativehistory #art #aic #artist #alabamaIndigenouscoalition