Dear relatives,
After nearly 50 years of unjust imprisonment, Leonard Peltier is home.
We have all fought for this moment—through decades of advocacy, countless prayers, letters, marches, and unwavering solidarity. Today, we celebrate the return of an elder, a warrior, and a survivor.
Leonard, a citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and of Lakota/Dakota descent, was welcomed home with love and joy by NDN Collective after President Biden commuted his sentence in the final hours of his administration. While his release comes decades too late, he now has the chance to embrace his family, his community, and the lands that have called him home for so long.
Leonard’s First Words of Freedom
“We are not going to give up. We are going to win. We’ve been winning.
We’re gonna continue to win. We’re gonna stick together. We’re gonna unite.
As it is right now, we’ve been united all through Indigenous countries.
We’re gonna fight back. We’re gonna continue ‘til we are a free nation.
I gave 50 years for that and I’m gonna give the rest of my life.
They have not broke me. I am not broken.”
Leonard Peltier, 2025
This victory belongs to every person who fought for Leonard’s freedom—Indigenous leaders, grassroots organizers, legal advocates, and all who stood in solidarity. We especially recognize the decades of dedication from Indigenous Nations all over the world, NDN Collective, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), The Red Nation, Native Organizers Alliance, the National Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABSHC), and so many others.
The Fight Continues
Leonard’s release is a reminder that justice is possible—but it must never take this long. Today, we celebrate, but we also recommit ourselves to fighting for Indigenous political prisoners, for sovereignty, and for true justice.
This is a win for the movement, first and foremost. WPLC Communications Coordinator, Nizhoni Begay, wrote reflecting on the announcement saying, “Leonard’s story has been a constant presence in my life. I have been praying for Leonard since I was a child. I learned about his sacrifice through documentaries and family teachings about the American Indian Movement. His resilience became a symbol of what it means to stand firm in the face of injustice. I never imagined that I would one day have the honor of advocating for his release, of standing alongside the movement to bring him home. In Summer 2024, alongside an incredible group of advocates, I participated in sweatlodge ceremony for Leonard. We prayed for this day. We prayed on the Walk to Justice in D.C. We prayed in Geneva when WPLC organized a joint statement from civil society at the United Nations. Today, our dream became reality. This is not just a victory for Leonard—it is a victory for all our relatives.”
Join NDN Collective tomorrow, February 19, 2025, at Sky Dancer Event Center in Belcourt, North Dakota at 12pm CST and via livestream on NDN Collective social media.
Thank you. Healing starts now. Your love and advocacy helped bring Leonard home. We carry this victory forward.
In solidarity,
Water Protector Legal Collective
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