Ciao a tutti,

I am forwarding you an email this morning our Dean, John Fry, sent to the Drexel community regarding Drexel University observing Indigenous Peoples' Day. I am doing this so you all can see how students are taught of Indigeneous and Italian experience at Drexel. Feel free to email president@drexel.edu if you would like to get your opinion heard. Also, this is the email address of the Chief of Diversity Officer Kimberly Gholston, kjg88@drexel.edu. I have attached a link to watch a webinar we had to talk about the narrative on Christopher Columbus. I am looking forward for you all to email them your opinions.

This is the email:

Drexel University Observes Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Dear Students and Colleagues,

On Monday, we join all Philadelphians in celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day and reaffirming that Drexel University sits on the traditional land of The Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania.

This year marks the first that the city will officially change to honoring Indigenous Peoples’ Day (formerly Columbus Day) on the second Monday of October. For our University community, this will be the second year that we will note Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a recognized, annual campus holiday.

As the National Museum of the American Indian has stated, “Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognizes that Native people are the first inhabitants of the Americas, including the lands that later became the United States of America.”

On this holiday, I urge all members of the Drexel community to reflect on the enormous contributions of Indigenous people to our country.

Sincerely, 

John Fry
President