Today, MLRI observes Indigenous Peoples Day, a day to celebrate and honor Native American people’s cultures and contributions. For far too long, the historical facts and present realities of indigenous communities have been obfuscated and overlooked. Despite the common narrative that relegates Indigenous peoples to the past, there are presently thousands of Indigenous people across the state fighting to survive and thrive in Massachusetts. Their contributions to society are invaluable and deserve recognition.

As the Indigenous Peoples Day Massachusetts Coalition wrote on their website,

Indigenous Peoples Day is about more than a name change; it’s a refusal to allow the genocide of millions of Indigenous peoples to go unnoticed, and a demand for recognition of Indigenous humanity. Recognizing this day in place of what’s currently known as “Columbus Day” is a way to correct false histories, honor Indigenous peoples, and begin to correct some of the countless wrongs committed against Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island (what’s now known as the Americas).

To honor Indigenous Peoples Day, we highlight the MA Indigenous Legislative Agenda, a coalition of organizations working to pass Indigenous-centered legislation in Massachusetts. They filed five bills during the 2021-2022 Massachusetts legislative session, none of which were brought to the floor for a vote. The coalition will be refiling these bills in January 2023. To learn more about the MA Indigenous Legislative Agenda and how you can support their aims, visit maindigenousagenda.org.