Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Today Hired celebrates Indigenous Peoples’ Day. In recent years, there has been a growing move to shift away from Columbus Day and focus instead on the original people of the Americas. At Hired, we are committed to our role in the long-term effort to ensure all people can participate in the economy. An important part of this commitment is our celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day and our intentional centering of Indigenous voices. Here are some ways we can all get involved:

Learn

Check out the Hennepin County Library’s page on Indigenous Peoples' Day 2020 for some great resources, including books, music, and videos. There are also online resources to learn more about two Indigenous languages spoken right here in Minnesota: Dakota and Anishinaabemowin.

The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian is hosting a free online event, Youth in Action: Conversations about Our Future. A panel of young Native activists will hold a conversation about mascots, monuments, and memorialization, and hip-hop artist Frank Waln (Sicangu Lakota) will give a musical performance.

Did you know that the national American Indian Movement (AIM) began in 1968 right here in Minneapolis, Minnesota? Read more at the Minnesota History Center Gale Family Library about AIM’s origins, leadership, and activism.

“When we talk about land, land is part of who we are. It’s a mixture of our blood, our past, our current, and our future. We carry our ancestors in us, and they’re around us. As you all do.” – Mary Lyons (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe)

Reflect

Across the United States, there are hundreds of Indigenous groups, each with unique cultures and languages.  Here in Minnesota, there are two main Indigenous peoples: the Anishinaabe/Ojibwe (referred to by the U.S. government as the Chippewa) and the Dakota and Lakota, also known as the Oceti Sakowin (referred to by the U.S. government as the Sioux).

As Minnesotans, our homes, workplaces, communities, and other physical spaces are on Indigenous land that was violently stolen from Indigenous peoples through genocide and forced removal. We invite each other to reflect on the original stewards of the land, the history that has brought each of us to reside on this land, and our place within that history.

Build Relationships

Being in solidarity with Indigenous people involves building relationships, and a great place to start is with an in-person or online visit to the Minneapolis American Indian Center and the Minnesota Humanities Center: Native Nations of Minnesota in St. Paul. Another way to build relationships is to align ourselves with the ongoing goals and work of Indigenous community organizations, such as the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, the Native American Community Development Institute, and the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center.  

This Indigenous Peoples’ Day, let’s take a moment to familiarize ourselves with the work Indigenous people are doing and donate our time and/or money to amplify it.