10 Oct Learn and Remember Indigenous Peoples Day

To learn and remember Indigenous Peoples Day, here are a few ideas that Integrated Staffing initiated.

Learn What the Day Represents? 

In honor of Indigenous Peoples Day, we want to acknowledge that this “holiday recognizes the legacy and impact of colonialism on Native communities. It celebrates the cultures, contributions, and resilience of Native peoples’ past, present, and futures.” This calls for a time of reflection. It is our responsibility today, and every other day to learn and understand the legacy and impact of colonialism on Indigenous communities. As a result, we remember the struggles and tragedies they endured. We honor their place in and contributions to the shared story of America.

What is Indigenous Peoples Day? 

Indigenous Peoples Day is a holiday in the United States that celebrates and honors Native American peoples. It commemorates their histories and cultures. On October 8, 2021, U.S. President Joe Biden became the first U.S. President to formally recognize the holiday by signing a presidential proclamation declaring October 11, 2021, to be a national holiday. It is celebrated across the United States on the second Monday in October. It is an official city and state holiday in various localities.

How did Indigenous Peoples Day Begin? 

It began as a counter-celebration held on the same day as the U.S. federal holiday of Columbus Day, which honors Genovese-born explorer Christopher Columbus. Some people reject celebrating him, saying that he represents “the violent history of the colonization in the Western Hemisphere”. Indigenous Peoples Day was instituted in Berkeley, California, in 1992, to coincide with the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Columbus in the Americas on October 12, 1492. Two years later, Santa Cruz, California, instituted the holiday. Starting in 2014, many other cities and states adopted the holiday. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/

Learn How To Celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day In Your Workplace Setting? 

Acknowledge the Land You’re On.

Did you know you can search your corporate address to see and learn which Indigenous lands you’re on? As an example, Integrated Staffing is located on the traditional territory of the Kanienʼkehá꞉ka (Mohawk Nation. To honor Indigenous Peoples Day this year, ask each of your team members to research the history of the land they’re on. You can search your individual locations, or everyone can research the land of your corporate headquarters. Additionally, research the culture and history of the tribe whose land you’re on. As a result of your research, share your findings and reflections during a group video call. To get started, learn what native land you’re on by visiting native-land.ca.

Enjoy Being a Steward of Your Local Land.

Along with acknowledging the land you are on, enjoy the land as well! Honor Indigenous Peoples Day this year by spending time connecting with nature and building a respectful relationship with the natural world around you. More than we realize, we are dependent upon the land we live on. Some ideas include, taking the day to explore and learn about your local ecosystem, enjoying a trail hike in a state park 0r paddling down a nearby river or lake via kayak. Furthermore, be sure that your activities are using natural resources responsibly. For example, if you have a picnic in a park, be sure to leave no waste behind. By being a good steward of the land, we can further the health of our ecosystems for future generations to enjoy. Recognizing and respecting our symbiotic relationship with the land we live on is pivotal.

Share About Indigenous Peoples Day.

Use your company’s reach and influence to teach others about Indigenous Peoples Day. For example, you could add a blurb about the holiday to your internal employee e-newsletter. Take it a step further and post about Indigenous Peoples Day on your company’s social media accounts. Futhermore, you can use the day to amplify the voices of Native American thought leaders. Finally, consider also diversifying your social media feed by “following” Indigenous-led social media accounts. Start here: 13 Indigenous Influencers You Should Follow on Instagram Right Now.

Create a Slack Channel for Deeper Discussion.

If your team uses a chat app like Slack or Teams, create a channel to explore Indigenous Peoples Day further. During the day, you can ask each person to research and share a few sentences about a different topic related to the holiday. For example:

• How has Native American cooking influenced American food?
• Who is a Native American person throughout history you admire, and why?
• Share 3 facts about the Indigenous peoples whose land you’re currently on.

Help Enact Meaningful Change.

So, you’ve decided to skip Columbus Day 2022 and commemorate Indigenous Peoples Day instead. After learning more about these holidays, you might feel moved to do more. If so, join the Zinn Education Project and their initiative to “Abolish Columbus Day.” You can find resources including social media graphics, website banners, and more to help share the message. Learn more about the Abolish Columbus Day initiative.

Donate to a Cause.

This Indigenous Peoples Day, put your money where your mouth is and support a cause that helps Indigenous people. For example, you could donate a portion of your proceeds. Or, you could match employees’ contributions to an approved nonprofit. A few causes to consider this Indigenous Peoples Day:

• American Indian College Fund. Help support Native students and tribal college education.
• Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women. This organization aims to end violence against Indigenous women in the United States. Unfortunately, Indigenous women are 2.5 times more likely to be sexually assaulted than their non-Indigenous counterparts.
• Seeding Sovereignty. This Indigenous-led collective works to radicalize and disrupt colonized spaces through land, body, and food sovereignty work, community building, and cultural preservation.
• Find additional Native American organizations to support.

Listen and Learn via Podcast.

Podcasts are a great way to learn something new. And, they’re also a great way to hear voices and stories directly from specific communities. Honor Indigenous Peoples Day by listening to an Indigenous-led podcast as a team. This works great for all teams, as you can listen anytime, anywhere. For this activity, send out a list of Indigenous-led podcasts in a team email or chat thread. Or, engage your team by taking suggestions of series that may already be a group favorite. Take a vote and set a date for each team member to finish the episode. Then, share your reflections as a team during a group video call. Plus, you don’t have to stop at one episode. Continue listening together through a whole series if there’s interest! You can find many Indigenous-led podcasts on streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.

Work with Indigenous-Owned Companies.

Another way to honor Indigenous Peoples Day is to incorporate working with Indigenous-owned suppliers or vendors. As a team, evaluate what companies you regularly do business with throughout your work. Then, determine how you may expand your list to incorporate businesses with Indigenous representation. On a large scale, consider funneling your business to Indigenous-led companies throughout your entire supply chain. Or, look to hire Indigenous teams for expansion projects or ongoing repairs. On a smaller scale, you can make quick switches to support Indigenous businesses. For instance, purchase the coffee and snacks you provide for employees from an Indigenous brand. Or, source your office supplies and art from Indigenous artists. Working with Indigenous vendors is a great long-term way to support the economic development of Indigenous communities. By making a financial commitment to supporting your local Indigenous businesses on an ongoing basis, your team can create a lasting impact.

Make Indigenous Peoples Day a Company Holiday.

Did you know that only 10 states officially celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day? There is a growing movement to make instating official holidays and proclamations to honor Indigenous Peoples a reality in more cities and states. Your team can join this movement! Regardless of your state or city’s choice, consider making Indigenous Peoples Day a company holiday if it’s not one already. Or, allow employees optional PTO to use for the day. More importantly, encourage team members to use the time to further learn about Indigenous culture. We suggest sharing the ideas listed throughout this post with your team. A simple guide can help engage employees in educational ways to spend their time. Then, be sure to schedule a team meeting in the following days to chat about how everyone celebrated. In reflecting together, your team will grow stronger connections and carry the importance of Indigenous Peoples Day forward.

In conclusion, whatever your company may decide to do to honor this day, be sure you’re creating an environment of diversity, equity, and inclusion by avoiding potentially harmful stereotypes and behaviors. After all, the point of celebrating this holiday is to uplift and honor Native peoples, their history, and their culture.