Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2021
A day that is formally recognized as Columbus Day is shifting its focus. For the first time in history, this day is being recognized as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Monday, October 11, 2021 is the first year that this day has been officially recognized by a U.S. president.
Today, our Nation gathers to celebrate Indigenous peoples and their contributions. The proclamation states, ”On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we honor America’s first inhabitants and the Tribal Nations that continue to thrive today. I encourage everyone to celebrate and recognize the many Indigenous communities and cultures that make up our great country.”
This day has been observed and recognized by Native Americans for years and they have been pushing for this change in recognition. “For generations, Federal policies systematically sought to assimilate and displace Native people and eradicate Native cultures,” Biden wrote in the Indigenous Peoples’ Day proclamation. “Today, we recognize Indigenous peoples’ resilience and strength as well as the immeasurable positive impact that they have made on every aspect of American society.”
The Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence joins the nation today as we celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day. We acknowledge the painful history and wrongs that this day has inflicted on Indigenous Peoples in the past. We are hopeful that this shift may be a small step in the right direction as we work towards our mission, which cannot be achieved without using our influence to end oppression. We challenge ourselves to embrace innovation as we work to end systemic oppression and look towards creating thriving, supported communities. We commit to doing our work with transparency and invite our communities and stakeholders to hold us in accountability. We know that undoing these structures and creating true equity in opportunity will take time and we are committed to being part of the change, within ourselves, our Coalition, our communities, and the state of Indiana. We hope you will join ICADV today in being part of the change.
View the full blog post here.
Resources & Links
- A Proclamation on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, 2021
- Goodbye, Columbus? Here’s what Indigenous Peoples’ Day means to Native Americans (NPR)
- Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Explained (The New York Times)
- Resources from The Indianapolis Public Library
- List of films to watch and discuss (UUA)
- Attend a local or virtual indigenous Peoples Day Event
