October 9, Indigenous People’s Day is a day of awareness in the United States that honors Indigenous People and celebrates their resilience, cultures and histories as they faced assimilation, discrimination, and genocide spanning generations.
Indigenous People’s Day was recognized in 2021 to replace Columbus Day, which glorified the European settlers that committed violence against Indigenous communities.
This day is to reflect, recognize, celebrate and learn about the history of the United States, the role Indigenous People have in it and the impacts that history has on generations following.
It is important to note that Columbus Day remains a federal holiday that gives federal government employees the day off from work.
How to Observe Indigenous People’s Day in the Workplace
Be flexible: Offering flexible paid time off is great for ensuring that everyone can celebrate, especially when thinking of Columbus Day, which can bring up emotions of sadness and grief for some of your employees. This gives your employees the chance to celebrate their own culture and religion. Flexible paid-time-off is a set number of days off for employees to use for any necessary purpose
Learn Historical and Cultural context: The burden of education does not fall on Indigenous people. Take the time to find articles, books, videos, and courses that accurately explain the history of Indigenous people and respectfully describe their culture. To be an ally, you must be familiar with the issue(s) you are fighting for or against.
Land Acknowledgment: Land acknowledgments have become increasingly popular among educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and businesses. They have been forced to adopt the values and cultures of colonizers and settlers. And forcefully relocated time and time again. A land acknowledgment is a step towards reconciliation.
CultureAlly has a great free resource on How to Craft a Land Acknowledgement.
Communication for Indigenous People’s Day
[Subject: Indigenous People’s Day]
Hi all,
We want to take time to recognize Indigenous People’s Day. You will note this falls on Columbus Day, which we acknowledge glorifies European settlers who have committed violence against Indigenous communities.
Today we want to honor Indigenous People and communities and celebrates their resilience, cultures and histories as they faced assimilation, discrimination and genocide spanning generations.
We encourage you to read this article titled “Everything You Need to Know About Indigenous Peoples Day.”
Thank you all for taking the time to learn and grow with us,
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