Columbus didn’t “discover America.” He never even reached the land that is now called the United States. What he *did* do is invade and conquer islands where Indigenous peoples already lived. #IndigenousPeoplesDay
To say other colonialists “discovered” this country is also false -- they massacred and dehumanized Indigenous communities that had already built a way of life on these lands. This is the cruel reality we must accept to begin repairing the harm done. #IndigenousPeoplesDay
Instead of celebrating a legacy of colonialism and erasing the contributions of Indigenous peoples, #IndigenousPeoplesDay honors their resilience and cultures.
Today should be a promise to fight against harmful developments on Indigenous peoples’ lands. To center their voices in the climate change conversation. To end the epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women. It’s past time to make #IndigenousPeoplesDay a federal holiday.
