Recognize Indigenous Peoples Day NYC
The second Monday of October is celebrated as Columbus Day by many people, but this holiday is rooted in inaccuracy and celebrates a tragic history of genocide and violence against the Indigenous Peoples of this country and all of the Americas.
As such, Recognize Indigenous Peoples Day NYC requests that New York City officially declare the second Monday of October to be Indigenous Peoples Day in order to recognize the sacrifices and contributions of the first peoples of this land.
New York City is the largest and most influential city in this country, and it should lead on this important issue. Since October 2015, at least 14 communities in the United States have passed measures changing Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day, including the State of Vermont, Seattle, Denver, Phoenix, and Los Angeles.
Prominent historians have heavily documented Christopher Columbus’s vast legacy of violence, slavery, and oppression of Indigenous Peoples, and it is a critical time in our nation’s history where we must acknowledge and celebrate facts. To pretend that Columbus is a man to be revered is to participate in one of the oldest instances of “fake news” in this country, serves to deny history, and it continues the trauma being perpetrated against the indigenous community. This holiday serves as an opportunity for New Yorkers to learn even more about the cultural history associated with the Indigenous Peoples of this region and the land on which we live.
New York City’s celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day would contribute greatly to the healing of America’s indigenous community, and it would honor this community’s resilience, strength, and ongoing contributions to American culture and history. Indigenous peoples and their voices are more important now than ever, with this community leading the way on the current, urgent issues like the growing call for greater environmental awareness and protections.
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