Indian Motorcycle Partners With the Indigenous Community

^{Micki Dirtzu, center, with members of the Boys & Girls Club of the Makah Tribal Nation, Neah Bay, Washington.}
The evening before I had flown into Neah Bay, Washington, to drive five hours of winding roads to the Makah Tribal Nation. On this morning, nearly a year ago, I stood with the Boys & Girls Club staff at Cape Flattery, the northwesternmost point of the contiguous United States. The Boys & Girls Club Native Services Unit has been a key philanthropic partner of Indian Motorcycle since 2021, and the Boys & Girls Club of the Makah Tribal Nation is one of 10 clubs that receives our Do-it-Yourself Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Program funding, which allows clubs to expose Native youth to STEM in culturally adaptable activities.
In my role as community engagement manager, I support Indian Motorcycle’s commitment to enhancing our engagement with Tribal communities, fostering cultural understanding, and building mutually beneficial partnerships while upholding the brand legacy of Indian Motorcycle. At its core, this work is about relationships. Through these relationships we are establishing an understanding of how to make a positive, meaningful impact with Indigenous communities.
This visit reinforced the importance of building community, recognizing each Tribal nation holds a unique culture, history, and beliefs, and inviting Indigenous voices into Indian Motorcycle, which continues to play an integral role in informing our journey.

"Our goal in engaging with Indigenous people is to champion and collaborate with Tribal communities, by, for instance, identifying and donating to nonprofit organizations doing amazing work in their Tribal communities, among other collaborative efforts,” says Mike Dougherty, President, Indian Motorcycle.
"Our partners, made up of the Indian Motorcycle Advisory Council, Indigenous-serving philanthropic partners, and Native American-led consultants, play a key role in educating, guiding, and providing an Indigenous perspective to the team, which serves as a guide to how we can partner with the larger community. Everything we do is community-led and authentic to who we are as a brand.""

“Behind the brand is a people. My hope is that riders take time to learn about our rich history and the diversity of our people and cultures. I personally know community members who are proud of the brand and proud to ride Indian Motorcycles.
I hope that every rider holds reverence for Indigenous people in that same esteem.”
“Cultures do not exist in a vacuum”, says Chad Poitra of partner InnoNative Consulting.
"The free exchange of cultural ideas, when done respectfully, is an essential part of the human experience."

"When a brand like Indian Motorcycle seeks truly authentic connections to Indigenous communities to better honor its name, it is blazing a trail for more respectful cultural representation in the world. I am honored to be a part of this process, and hope we can create a lasting positive impact together."
As I reflect on my journey since visiting the Makah Tribal Nation nearly a year ago, I am honored by the steps we’ve taken in collaboration with those passionate about Indian Motorcycle and our partners. I am excited for Indian Motorcycle to support more Indigenous-led rides, like the Thunderbird Throttle during Arizona Bike Week, and to continue to grow our partnerships into the future.
I invite you to learn more about the ways Indian Motorcycle is taking action and how you, our owners and riding community, can join us by visiting our website at indianmotorcycle.com/en-us/community-engagement.

By Micki Dirtzu
Community Engagement Manager

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