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It has been a full year since I joined Cultural Survival and just five months into my journey, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and affected our lives in more ways than one. 2020 has caused unprecedented health, political and economic crises across the globe and this pandemic has deeply affected many Indigenous communities, causing an immediate threat to our well-being and survival. Cultural Survival, without missing a beat pivoted to supporting our partner communities and their responses to the virus. 

On Saturday, October 12th, Chali'Naru Dones of the United Confederation of Taino People, stands atop the plinth where the decapitated statue of Christopher Columbus once stood, on the Boston waterfront. The crowd responded, "City by city, town by town, Christopher Columbus must come down!" photo: Claire Gosselin / Mass Peace Action.
 

By David Detmold
 

Por Reynaldo Rivera Guerrero

La perspectiva que hace unos años se tenía sobre las lenguas Indígenas originarias ha cambiado de una forma importante en la sociedad mexicana. Antes se creía que estas lenguas no eran más que la razón del fracaso académico o social de las personas que las hablaban. Expresiones como “no te sirve de nada esa lengua”, “no te dejará nada bueno si sigues hablando tu lengua”, eran frecuentes hacia nosotros, quienes pertenecemos a los pueblos originarios. 

Image courtesy of MA Indigenous Legislative Agenda

It's time to recognize that celebrating the life of Christopher Columbus is the same as celebrating the erasure of Indigenous existence. There has been much movement around the country to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day but more work remains to be done. We are excited to share some local and national events celebrating Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Peoples Day. 
 

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