Today is Presidents Day, a day for reflecting on where Native Americans stand after two years of a Trump presidency. Since taking office, the current administration has rolled back policies that protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples and has failed to respect and honor Tribal Nations and their sovereignty.
It is clear that the use of Native American mascots harms children. Mascots based on stereotypical ideas of Native peoples breed cultural insensitivity and misunderstanding about Native American people and our history as a nation.
The Indigenous Peoples Movement is a collective of Indigenous activists, organizers, tribal leaders, social entrepreneurs, artists, educators, innovators, youth leaders, and change-makers who are working to build the collective power of Indigenous Peoples, communities and Nations.
“Only stories help us break through old roles that normalize domination, and Hedgebrook is a global campfire.”
By Joan Tavares Avant
“The notable veterans who have died should be genuinely remembered and celebrated. The ones who are blessed enough to be alive and or return home as wounded warriors should be cared for forever. Their spirit was given to uphold this country’s freedom and yours. Those who are walking around may look well, but many are not. There’s a lot this country should do for those past and present.”-- Chief Sachem Vernon “Silent Drum“ Lopez
Danae Laura, Bazaar Program Manager, comes to Cultural Survival from a decade of social entrepreneurship and marketing in both the natural food and wellness industries. Danae studied Social Justice and Education as a Martin Luther King Scholar at New York University, lived abroad in Ghana as a Gilman International Fellow, and was recently recognized as an emerging scholar by the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society for her work at Lesley University where she is studying mindfulness as a tool for social justice.
By Tricia Hornback, Ph.D
The Comunidad Maya Pixan Ixim are members of the Q’anjob’al Maya of Guatemala living in diaspora in Nebraska. After years of living in Nebraska, the traditional ancestral government of the Q’anjob’al, which also includes the Akateko, Chuj, and Popti Maya Peoples, has developed a bilateral relationship with the American Indian Omaha Nation.
Join us to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day in Cambridge! Organized by United American Indians of New England, North American Indian Center of Boston, IndigenousPeoplesDayMA.org, and Cultural Survival.
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we are headquartered on Massachusett land, in Cambridge, MA, and we thank the past, current, and future Indigenous stewards of this territory.
