Indigenous Peoples Day

Ah Manam, We urgently need your support!  Indigenous Cultures Institute is honored to receive the POSAC recommendation for project funding at the Tier 1 level in Round 2.  We worked hard to create a superior proposal that reflects our commitment to establish an Indigenous Cultures Center that protects the surrounding open land and nearby waters to the benefit of our Hays County citizens. As you know, the majority of people in Hays County who are labeled “Hispanic” have Indigenous ancestors, and some of these families have ties dating back 14,000 years. That’s how long Native Americans have populated this county.  As the original people of this land, it is our responsibility to be good stewards of Mother Earth.  Hays County will be proud to showcase our Indigenous Cultures Center as a state model for innovative best practices in environmentally sensitive land management and in green building for our facility. And our people will be proud to present our rich and vibrant culture as part of this amazing project. Community support for our Center is flourishing even beyond Hays County, as we receive messages of support and positive comments on a daily basis. We’ve received support from representatives of groups such as the Great Springs Project, Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos, Barrio de la Victoria, Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, Downtown Association of San Marcos, Environmental Defense Fund, Texas Hill Country Alliance, Lifelong Learning – San Marcos, and the Council on the Indigenous and Tejano Community, and many community leaders and county residents. And support is growing. We are the only minority organization requesting funds, and we have the capacity, capability, and commitment required to achieve this ambitious project for Hays County and for our people.   We hope that you will consider signing this petition of support and solidarity statement to encourage the Hays County Commissioners Court to fund this most extraordinary Indigenous Cultures Center at the $10 million level that is requested.   Sincerely, Mario Garza, Ph.D., Chair Indigenous Cultures Institute IG:@indigenousculturesTwitter: @IndigeCultures Website:  Photo Credit: Madi Telschow, San Marcos Daily Record

The FORT of Fort Lauderdale was a real military fort, that was built to forcibly remove the Native American population.  There were 3 Seminole Wars that were waged by the US federal government from this area. In the perspective of the local tribes, this wasn't broken up as three separate events, but as one long military advancement over 150 years! As a step of contrition and toward social justice, we urge the current Fort Lauderdale City Commission and Broward County Commission to adopt Indigenous People's Day in place of Columbus Day.

Placer County celebrates Columbus Day during October.  With an eye on the injustice perpetrated against native peoples, we urge Placer County Board of Supervisors to change the name of the holiday celebrated in October to Indigenous Peoples' Day 

CHANGE THE STORY, CHANGE THE FUTURE We are seeking a Resolution by the Board of County Commissioners in September 2020! Indigenous Peoples' Day is a holiday celebrated on the second Monday of October in the United States, in lieu of Columbus Day. It is much more than a holiday however; Indigenous Peoples' Day at its core, aims to celebrate and honor the past, present and futures of Native peoples throughout the United States and acknowledges the legacy of colonialism, which has devastated Indigenous communities historically and continues to negatively impact them today. Observation of Indigenous Peoples' Day pushes back on the invisibility of Native peoples  Education: Mainstream representations of Native Americans are largely absent, when representations are available, they are limiting and stereotypical. For example, 87% of references to Native Americans in all 50 states' academic standards portray Native Americans in a pre-1900s context. Research reveals that Native peoples, and their experiences, are largely rendered invisible within contemporary society.  Teachers report feeling least confident about teaching materials related to Native peoples and Native history, despite recognizing the importance of such material. Many people now believe that Natives have vanished. History: The observation of Indigenous Peoples' Day counters false historical narratives embedded within the celebration of Columbus Day--such as, Columbus discovering America and explorers treating Indigenous peoples with respect. Columbus committed numerous atrocities against the Indigenous peoples of Hispaniola and the Bahamas (where he actually landed). Re-centering Indigenous perspectives allows people to gain a better understanding of Indigenous resistance and resilience in the face of colonization. School curricula may shift to include discussions of the Indigenous histories and cultures of the Tribal nations that exist and acknowledge the lands they occupy today.  There are 27 Tribal communities in Nevada including the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe and the Moapa Band of Paiutes in Clark County. There are more than 50,000 urban Natives from Tribes all across the U.S. living in our state. Please support this petition to recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day in Clark County as we move toward a statewide effort of acknowledging our shared history in America.   This petition is excerpted from: Illuminative publication: For Our Future: An Advocate's Guide to Supporting Indigenous Peoples' Day.  The photo is Gianna Yazzie, Las Vegas Paiute & Navajo Nation; courtesy of photographer: Jennifer Reed. Taken at the Indigenous Peoples' Day Festival at Old Mormon Fort 2019.