In this inspiring episode, I sat down with Josie Rios (Akimel O’odham/Gila River Indian Community), a talented artisan jeweler and visionary founder of the Indigenous Market based here in Tucson. I first crossed paths with Josie while we were helping put together a Matriarch Mixer event here in Tucson — but I’d already been familiar with her powerful work in the community. In this episode, we dive into the drive and passion behind Josie’s journey of highlighting the work of the Indigenous community through art, culture, and entrepreneurship. As a Tucsonan, Josie also recollects a few memories from her childhood to her adult life and how it connects her to the work she is involved in today. She also explores what it means to create with intention — and how the Indigenous Market has become a thriving platform for cultural connection and economic empowerment.
Here is a brief version of the interview that offers key highlights and insights from the full conversation.
Josie shares her story about how she learned and practiced beading at a young age while doing volunteer work at the Tucson Indian Center where they provided a good creative-social environment to do crafts for people of all ages. It was then that she first started doing bead work and was a fast learner, to which she eventually started offering individual attention and constructive feedback to others. Today, she has her own workspace likely equipped with pliers, needles, bead mats, and various types of stringing material, creating handcrafted beaded jewelry for her own business called Beads Over Diamonds.
When Josie began to think about the idea of planning a market, she imagined it to be a place where all Native/Indigenous artisans could be welcomed and not singled out because of the sometimes limited, non-compete policy some market organizers put in place along with other obstacles she faced as a vender. She also thought about how she could make the process easier for folks who may not have the necessities to have a booth setup or to cover the financial fee. Josie believes that by focusing on holistic support and cultural protocols makes for a more welcoming place for Native/Indigenous vendors. She also envisioned a place to celebrate diversity and cultivate a safe, inclusive space for Two-spirit/LGBTQ+ artists, makers, and entrepreneurs to join as vendors and share their creativity, culture, and stories.
