Indigenous Peoples' Day

Monday was a holiday here in the United States. Depending on what calendar you looked at or what social media or news you viewed, you might have seen it represented in two very different ways.

Where you are, was it talked about as Columbus Day? Or Indigenous Peoples' Day?

Was the focus on colonialism and the "rediscovery" of a continent already home to Native people?

Or, was the focus on honoring and recognizing the Indigenous peoples who have had to fight every step of the way to maintain their rights and dignity since the Europeans began discovering and settling their lands?

If you haven't had a chance, it's worth skimming these two different perspectives on the day.

White House Proclamation about Columbus Day. Here's a preview:

"Sadly, in recent years, radical activists have sought to undermine Christopher Columbus’s legacy. These extremists seek to replace discussion of his vast contributions with talk of failings, his discoveries with atrocities, and his achievements with transgressions. Rather than learn from our history, this radical ideology and its adherents seek to revise it,..."

For a contrasting perspective, check out this description of the history of Indigenous Peoples' Day and a different view of the Columbus legacy.

If you feel so overwhelmed, nauseous, and uncomfortable with the toxic conversations happening every day that you find yourself wanting to dig a hole in the ground or move to another country (or at least disappear from social media for a few months), you are not alone.

And, the very fact that you, and millions of others, are working to channel your pain into action...that you are NOT the only one feeling the intensity of the moment and seeking ways to be more effective, and that you choose, again and again, to show up with an open mind and broken heart to create a new path forward in your relationships, in your community, and in the world, is the endless source of hope and inspiration that we can all draw from.

As we witness continued fallout from the executive order banning racial sensitivity training (see article for more examples), what helps you to stay engaged, motivated, and hopeful?

This is a map to look up where you live now, and what Indigenous People were in your area previously (or perhaps still currently).

You matter. You can make a difference. I'm so thankful you're here!