Tell Your Legislators to Pass the Indigenous Peoples Day

Loading....

Tell Your Legislators to Pass the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Act

(Senate Bill 2919 and House Bill 5473)

Indigenous Peoples’ Day honors the past, present, and future of Native peoples throughout the US. It’s aimed at changing the narrative around the arrival of Columbus to reflect a more accurate history. The holiday celebrates the cultures, contributions, and resilience of contemporary Native Peoples. It recognizes the legacy and impact of colonialism on Native communities.

The seed for indigenous Peoples’ Day was planted at a U.N. international conference on discrimination in 1977. The first state to recognize the day was South Dakota in 1989. Then the cities of Berkeley, California, and Santa Cruz followed suit. Today 14 states and more than 130 cities celebrate the day instead of Columbus Day.

On October 8, 2021, President Joe Biden recognized Indigenous People’s Day by issuing a proclamation,

“On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, our Nation celebrates the invaluable contributions and resilience of Indigenous peoples, recognizes their inherent sovereignty, and commits to honoring the Federal Government’s trust and treaty obligations to Tribal Nations. On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we honor America’s first inhabitants and the Tribal Nations that continue to thrive today.”

But there has been little federal action since to spread that recognition. We invite you to voice principled concern and pressure for recognition and proper historical context, as exemplified in Senate Bill 2919 and House Bill 5473, making it a legal public holiday substituting Columbus Day.

This feels especially meaningful, important, and accountable for UUSJ as our work with the People vs. Fossil Fuels coalition has put us in closer collaborative proximity to Indigenous people leading advocacy and witnessing.

To this day, Native Americans deal with systemic racism and the consequences of colonization. To this day, Indigenous people are disrespected by American industry that pollutes Native lands and rivers and defiles Native properties and sacred places. This causes suffering and consequences for the physical and spiritual health of Indigenous people (The Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota and the Mountain Valley Pipeline in West Virginia are clear examples.)

We recognize Indigenous Peoples Day is about more than a name change. It’s a refusal to allow the genocide of millions of Indigenous people to go unnoticed and a demand for recognition of Indigenous humanity. The violence of Columbus and colonization shouldn’t be romanticized in history.

By changing the naming of the holiday, we can acknowledge the reality of our nation’s history and honor the long-standing contributions and identities of Indigenous people. We can be in solidarity for Indigenous representation, equality, and justice. In so doing, we open space for the prospect of social progress, amending how American society views our country’s first peoples, this continent’s first residents, affording all the dignity and respect that we envision as a Beloved Community

We just need few pieces of information to connect you with your representatives.

I'd like to receive updates from this organization

Take Action

Tell Your Legislators
to Pass the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Act

Indigenous Peoples’ Day honors the past, present, and future of Native peoples throughout the US. The holiday celebrates the cultures, contributions, and resilience of contemporary Native Americans and recognizes the legacy and impact of colonialism on their communities. It recognizes the legacy and impact of colonialism on Native communities.

Indigenous Peoples Day is about more than a name change; it’s a refusal to allow the genocide of millions of Indigenous peoples to go unnoticed and a demand for recognition of Indigenous humanity. This change can lead to real social progress, amending how society views our country’s first people and affording all dignity and respect.

This feels especially meaningful, important, and accountable for UUSJ as our work with the People vs. Fossil Fuels coalition has put us in closer collaborative proximity to Indigenous people leading advocacy and witness.

Both Chambers

Subject: Pass the Indigenous People's Act (S.2919 and HB.5473)

Message:

As a Unitarian Universalist and your constituent, I want to ask you to support legislation to designate Indigenous Peoples' Day as a legal public holiday and replace the term "Columbus Day" with the term "Indigenous Peoples' Day" (H.R. 5473/S. 2919). Moving to Indigenous Peoples’ Day would honor the past, present, and future of Native peoples throughout the U.S. The holiday would celebrate the cultures, contributions, and resilience of contemporary Native Americans and recognize the legacy and impact of colonialism on their communities. Indigenous Peoples Day is about more than a name change; it’s a refusal to allow the genocide of millions of Indigenous peoples to go unnoticed and recognize these communities as American. In so doing, we open space for the prospect of social progress, amending how our society views the country’s first peoples, this continent’s first residents, affording all Americans dignity and respect. The violence of the arrival and colonization shouldn’t be romanticized in history. By correcting the name of the holiday, we are given the opportunity to acknowledge the reality of our nation’s history, honor the long-standing contributions and identities of Indigenous peoples, and fight for Indigenous representation, equality, and justice. Please pass the Indigenous People's Act (S.2919 and HB.5473).

Characters remaining:

Tell Your Legislators
to Pass the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Act

Thank you for taking the Action!

Go back | Donate today!

Thank You!

Please share with anyone else who might be interested

Become a Member!

Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice (UUSJ) has been the leader for a national UU advocacy movement in Washington, DC., and will continue our efforts, acting from:

We appreciate your effort!

Join Today