Native American Heritage Month
The invitation to write this blog post left me feeling honored, excited, and admittedly a bit intimidated. I don’t claim to be an expert in my Native history or to have all the answers regarding my culture. However, I am always learning and appreciate opportunities to share and teach others. As I write this, I think about my Ancestors who didn’t have a chance to speak our narratives out loud. It is because of them that I am here today, shaped by their strength and resilience.
During the months of October and November, Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Native American Heritage Day are recognized. While I respect and appreciate these special holidays, I believe every day holds its significance and is worth celebrating. Every day is a good day to be Indigenous! With every passing year that these holidays are celebrated, I encourage you to learn more about Native American movements, awareness, celebrations, and engagements. You’ll learn rather quickly that they reflect our accurate history, stories, humor, and the reality that we still remain.
I’d like to share a few other important days to remember. May 5 is Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day and Red Dress Day. This day brings to light the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people across the nation. It brings a voice to those who are still missing, as well as the inaction and silence from law enforcement, government authorities, and the media. It is encouraging that the State of Colorado has finally enacted SB22-150 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives to specifically address this crisis. A new office of the Liaison for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (OMMIR) was created in 2022.
September 30 is Orange Shirt Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This solemn day honors the Native American children who never returned home from boarding schools, the survivors of boarding schools, and all the families and communities that were adversely affected. If you’re unfamiliar with this historical period, I encourage you to take the time to learn and read more about it. The boarding school philosophy was summarized by the phrase, “Kill the Indian, save the man.” These oppressive institutions attempted to erase our Native traditions, languages, and beliefs. In May 2024, my colleague David Aragon and I were invited by Rick Waters, the director of the Denver Indian Center to witness a heartfelt yet uplifting event. We observed Governor Jared Polis sign HB24-1444, the Federal Indian Boarding School Research Program Bill. This bill allocated $1 million to continue to research all 11 Indian boarding schools in Colorado over the next three years.
Along with the days mentioned above, each Native American tribe may have its own events and celebrations. I encourage you to explore further, continue your research, embrace opportunities to be an ally, and deepen your understanding. Support authentic Native American art, jewelry, cuisine, literature, and film to honor and celebrate Indigenous creativity and culture.
In my years at Colorado Access, I am grateful and honored to have helped contribute to the Colorado Access Land and People Acknowledgement (LAPA) and our internal SharePoint page. To me, our LAPA honors and celebrates my deep-rooted Native culture while preserving our heritage, resilience, and profound connection to our beautiful Mother Earth. It demonstrates our ongoing commitment to supporting Native people, programs, and communities.
As a final note, wherever you stand or sit, as you read this Perspectives blog, consider whose original homeland you live on, what they call themselves, what their story was, what they are doing today, and how you may benefit from their forced removal.
Resources
MMIR Task Force of Colorado | Bringing Awareness to Missing Indigenous Women
OMMIR | Division of Criminal Justice
nativehope.org/missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-mmiw
bia.gov/service/mmu/missing-and-murdered-indigenous-people-crisis