RESOLUTION NO. ________
A RESOLUTION DECLARING THE SECOND MONDAY IN OCTOBER
OF EACH YEAR AS INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' DAY IN [YOUR CITY].
The [Council/Commission/Board] of the [City/Town] of [City Name] finds that:
WHEREAS, the [Council/Commission/Board]
of the [City/Town] of [City Name] recognizes that the
lands now known as the Americas have been inhabited by Indigenous peoples for thousands of years,
and
that the
[City/Town] of
[City Name] is built upon the
ancestral homelands of the
[Tribe Name] People, who were longtime caretakers of these lands we now
cherish
; and
WHEREAS,
October 12, 1492, is one of the most significant historical dates for all Indigenous people of the Americas,
as it marks the beginning of European and American colonization, which included widespread violence, forced relocations,
land dispossession, cultural suppression, assimilation and termination policies that
forever changed indigenous lives and
cultures
; and
WHEREAS, government
entities and public institutions today have a responsibility to enact policies to oppose systemic
racism towards Indigenous people in the United States, as discrimination
perpetuates high rates of poverty and disproportionate health, education, and social
crises
; and
WHEREAS,
Indigenous Peoples' Day was first proposed in 1977 by a delegation of Native
Nations to the United Nations-sponsored International Conference on Discrimination Against
Indigenous Populations in the Americas, and as of the date of this resolution, over 200 cities,
counties, states, and universities across the United States have officially adopted
Indigenous Peoples
Day
; and
WHEREAS, recognizing
Indigenous Peoples' Day on the second Monday of October provides a more accurate
representation of our nation's and region's diverse history, and transforms a celebration of
conquest and cultural genocide into a celebration of the enduring traditions, values, and strength of
Indigenous Peoples, and brings hope for a brighter future of respect, partnership, and
unity
;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE [CITY/TOWN COUNCIL] OF THE
[CITY/TOWN] OF [YOUR CITY],
[STATE]:
1.
That the
[City/Town] of
[City Name] shall henceforth
recognize the second Monday in October of each year as
Indigenous Peoples' Day, instead of and as a replacement for any official recognition of Columbus Day.
Indigenous Peoples' Day shall be placed on the
[City/Town] calendar, and any existing documents referencing
Columbus Day shall be understood to mean Indigenous Peoples' Day.
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Why
2.
That the
[Council/Commission/Board] encourages all local businesses, organizations, schools,
and community members to recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day, and to take time to deepen their understanding of
the history, cultural significance, sacrifices and contributions of the Indigenous people of this land.
The foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted by the
[Council/Commission/Board]
of the
[City/Town] of
[City Name]
this ______ day of _________________, .
________________________
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