On June 19th at 7 p.m., The Iron Horse will present its first Juneteenth celebration with local artist Indë, alongside PARRIS and The Ujima Singers.
Indë first performed at The Iron Horse at the age of 14 as a vocal bass in The Northamptones, Northampton High School’s celebrated acapella group. Twelve years later, they return to the stage as an artist of their own, and director of The Ujima Singers, an Afrocentric music collective based at the Northampton Community Music Center.
The iconic downtown Northampton venue is excited and honored to host this powerful celebration and important moment for local talent. Since reopening under the Parlor Room Collective nonprofit (PRCO) in 2024, events like Juneteenth with Indë are part of PRCO’s broader commitment to presenting community-centered programming, expanding access to live music, and ensuring The Iron Horse remains a gathering space where everyone can come together to share memorable experiences.
These meaningful moments are central to PRCO’s mission: to enhance the health and vitality of our community through music. As both a symbolic and tangible expression of PRCO’s commitment to supporting local BIPOC artists, all proceeds from this event will go directly to the performing musicians.
In addition to celebrating Juneteenth by filling The Iron Horse with Black voices, this event celebrates the release of Indë’s album Role Model. Role Model is a kunstlerroman, an artist’s coming of age story. This collection of songs draws listeners through stories of mentorship, idolatry and community. Call-and-response vocals in tracks like “COME ON HOME,” “I TOLD U (don’t),” and “DPMB (free my pride)” will come to life at The Iron Horse, as The Ujima Singers and audiences sing colorful harmonies reminiscent of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. The roaring climax of the choir in “DPMB (free my pride)” epitomizes the revolutionary power of this record. When the gospel/blues singer Evelyn Harris (of Sweet Honey In The Rock, StompBoxTrio, and Young@Heart Chorus) died suddenly in December of 2025, Indë took up the mantle of this late role model, and assumed her role as director of the Ujima Singers. The Ujima Singers, founded by Evelyn Harris in 2023, practice “music as activism,” and share a repertoire that spans African American spirituals, music of the Civil Rights Movement, songs by Sweet Honey In The Rock, and now, Indë.
Juneteenth with Indë will celebrate Black ancestors, abolitionists, gay & transgender rights activists, women’s rights activists, and community role models that gave us the liberties we uphold today. Springfield-based artist PARRIS will open the concert with a set of lively originals before joining Indë’s ensemble on drums and trumpet. The Ujima Singers will perform parts of their repertoire, and provide choral vocals on selections from Indë’s new album Role Model, which will be released on all platforms on June 15th (the artist’s 26th birthday).
About Indë
Indë (they/he) is an artivist born, raised, and residing in Western Massachusetts. Since completing their undergraduate studies at MassArt and Berklee College of Music in Boston, Indë has served as a community organizer, member of the Northampton Arts Council, and Media Coordinator at the Northampton Community Music Center, where they direct the Ujima Singers, an Afrocentric music collective founded by Evelyn Harris. Indë is a recent recipient of ValleyCreates’ Project Evolution Grant (PEG) and the Club Passim Iguana Music Fund.
About The Parlor Room Collective (PRCO)
The Parlor Room Collective is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the health and vitality of the community through music. Based in Northampton, PRCO operates the historic Iron Horse Music Hall and The Parlor Room music venues, while leading artist development and community initiatives including the Musician’s Workshop, Community Ticket Program, Music Alone Sessions, and more; all designed to expand access to live music and support local artists. In addition to presenting high-quality performances year-round, PRCO co-produces community-centered events such as Back Porch Festival and Taste of Northampton, helping strengthen connections between artists, audiences, and the broader community.
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