The roots of this work go back to 1988, when the first community Thanksgiving meal was held in Seattle following a Declaration of Apology ceremony at Daybreak Star Center.

That first meal began simply. A small group gathered in a Capitol Hill community kitchen. No money was exchanged. People arrived with what they had — a carrot, a celery stalk, an onion — and helped create a meal together.

The gathering featured Indigenous stories and dance, roasted turkey and grilled salmon along with Seattle civic leaders and citizenry in attendance. A new vision was born! The effort later drew attention from NPR and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

In 2019, the idea was revived in partnership with the Duwamish Tribe for a feast at Golden Gardens along Puget Sound. During the COVID years, the work continued through meal boxes that carried the spirit of community care forward.

Now, First Thanksgiving: Kwedi’id is returning in a new form — as a civic and cultural gathering for Seattle’s next chapter.