2025 Indigenous Peoples Day New York and Newton (Near Boston
Award-Winning Indigenous Afro-Latina Voice
2024 Taino Awards Honoree
This event is like the NAACP Awards for Indigenous Peoples of the Caribbean
Speaker
Bronx, New York, May 2024
Honoree
“To be honored by the Taíno Awards is more than a personal recognition—it is a call to remember, uplift, and continue the legacy of our ancestors. To the descendants of the Taíno diaspora, this moment belongs to all of us. Our survival, our culture, and our voices are living proof that the spirit of Borikén and the Caribbean cannot be erased. We carry forward the stories, resilience, and dignity of those who came before us, and together we ensure that our heritage thrives for generations to come.”
Firebird Feathers
A Rhyme for Retailers
Janice Torres launched her petition to end Columbus Day sales and spoke about it in Houston, Texas, in May 2019 at the Indigenous Peoples Movement Conference. In 2018, she recited an original poem she had written, receiving encouragement from elders and cultural practitioners from various nations who supported her path.
Calling Brands for Belonging
Brands for Belonging’s petition urging retailers to rename their fall sales from “Columbus” to simply “Fall” made waves and even stirred controversy within marketing and communications spaces. For years, the issue was largely ignored—until 2020, when the nation began its full-scale reckoning with history. Janice’s efforts represent just one drop in the ocean of contributions and acts of resistance carried forward over generations—a legacy of more than 533 years of survival since Columbus’s invasion of the Caribbean.
Honoring Indigenous Peoples Day
Since 2019, Torres has been a member of the Indigenous Peoples Day New York City Committee, representing the Taíno community. She has also extended her volunteer efforts beyond New York, supporting Indigenous Peoples Day Newton when Boston Marathon organizers infringed on their event in 2021.
Elevating Indigenous Voices
In addition to advocacy, Janice actively helps book Indigenous talent for events and media opportunities, collaborating with a range of organizations to amplify Indigenous voices, culture, and visibility.
Protecting The Sacred
Torres secured the first English-language press coverage to highlight efforts to stop the privatization of Caguana Ball Park—an ancient Indigenous heritage site in Puerto Rico.
Storytelling For Youth
Speaker at the Children’s Areito in the Bronx to Spotlight Taino Culture, Indigenous Identity & Efforts to Protect Sacred Caves in the Dominican Republic 
Sunday, June 15, 2025
My Protest Poem That Blessed My Indigenous Journey.
Sign Our Stop Columbus Day Sales Petition
Our ancestors witnessed the 1st Columbus Day Sale⛓We’re the Descendants that will end them. Sign this bold petition to #stopcolumbusdaysales.
I hear the voices of my ancestors. “Awaken, You have not been taken”.
“The ocean does not separate us. It connects us.”
Follow Our Work with Power 4 Puerto Rico Ed
As Konai Helu Thaman says, “The ocean does not separate us. It connects us.” Thanks to all #BeyondColonialism participants. Follow @power4pr.ed for the recap.
Beyond Colonialism
Beyond Colonialism is an information resource and initiative fostering grassroots collaboration among women of the U.S. territories, our diaspora communities stateside, and food justice allies.
Together, we are working to reverse forced dependency, restore indigenous and cultural practices grounded in community-building, and revive our peoples’ ability and right to grow food locally in American Samoa, Guåhan (Guam), the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands (U.S.)
What Could Food Sovereignty Look Like in the Caribbean and Pacific Islands?
In the U.S. territories, the rights of women to #selfdetermination, economic autonomy and food security are derailed by #colonialism. This takes a toll both emotionally and financially on diaspora communities. Join us for an interactive discussion for powering up more grassroots collaboration among #Caribbean and #Pacific Island women of the U.S. territories and our diasporas. Learn what role you can actively play as a food sovereignty ally.
Torres provided services for the virtual event, that included sound and art management, creatives, and live social engagement.
The full recording of the July 1, 2024 panel is now available.
Food Dependence to Food Sovereignty at NYU
In May 2023 in New York City, the sold-out Food Dependence to Food Sovereignty event, coordinated by Power 4 Puerto Rico Education in partnership with NYU’s Center for Latino and Caribbean Studies and the Asian/Pacific/American Institute, aimed to WAKE PEOPLE UP to the food crisis felt by millions across U.S. territories in the Caribbean and Pacific Islands. (Guåhan, Northern Mariana Islands/ Puerto Rico/ Virgin Islands)
In addition to my role of harnessing my network to build a community around this event's mission, and promoting this historic forum, I designed a tribute table for the 'Nectar of Knowledge' that nurtured the minds of attendees via a live, and edible on-site installation, which was placed on the East side of the venue where the sun rises.
A rousing colorful rooster painting by @artbysir was centered around a bountiful arrangement of tropical fruits highlighting the pageantry of produce grown throughout the tropical regions represented by the panelists.
*See the sugar cane stalks
This fowl is a fitting totem for the movement, as the rooster teaches you how to awaken your inner strength to stand confident when sharing your voice. This animal guards the flock against predators, keeping them safe by keeping them together and sounding the alert if a predator approaches. He also wakes you up when it's time, and it's time!
The collective shared their stories and reaffirmed the importance of solidarity, and pushing forward in unity, as they continue to power up for their nations and a more sustainable future.
Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! was the most perfect moderator.
able Designed by @janice_isabel_torres of The Brand Phoenix.
Food Sovereignty Forum
In partnership with colleagues from the U.S. territories, Power 4 Puerto Rico Education coordinated a first-ever panel event moderated by Amy Goodman at New York University on how Caribbean and Pacific Island women are leading on the issue of food self sufficiency. Together we were able to convene diasporas and allies with the support of the Fund for the City of New York, Lisette Nieves, and the New York Women’s Foundation.
In addition to event operations, and creatives, The Brand Phoenix secured multiple community partners to elevate and promote the event's message.
Connected by Water.
May 2023 NYU
I am humbled to be allowed the opportunity to support these dynamic seeds of change.
Red Road
Who are the Taino?
Book René Pérez Liciaga
Lecturer, Independent Researcher, Author, and Public Historian specializing in Taíno and Indigenous Caribbean history.
Allyship
