About the Event

The UMass President’s Office Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) team is excited to invite you to a virtual Indigenous Peoples’ Day event that will explore the intersections of land acknowledgement and Indigenous engagement within the UMass system. Join us on Thursday, October 5, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. as Professors Sonya Atalay (UMass Amherst) and Cedric Woods (UMass Boston) lead a conversation about Higher Education’s Role in Serving Indigenous Communities. They will delve into the historical backgrounds of UMass system institutions, shed light on the significance of land acknowledgement in recognizing Indigenous homelands, and discuss challenges and best practices for fostering meaningful relationships and reciprocal engagements with Indigenous tribes and students.

By attending this event you can expect to:

  • Increase your understanding of the profound impact of land acknowledgement.
  • Gain insights from experts with experience in Indigenous engagement.
  • Join dynamic discussions and share your unique perspectives.
  • Acquire practical insights for fostering inclusivity and connection across the University.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect, learn, and contribute to a broader dialogue. Please feel free to forward to anyone that may be interested in attending.

Closed captions and a transcript will be provided by a Certified Realtime Captioner. You can access speaker bios and more information on our Indigenous Peoples' Day event page. 

 

Why is this event important?

Institutions of higher education have a responsibility to serve their region, especially Indigenous communities on whose homelands they occupy.  This is especially true when:

  • some of the funds used to build these structures came from the forced dispossession of Native Peoples via the Morrill Act;
  • and/or the institution has a foundational commitment to include diverse communities who are usually excluded from university scholarship and other endeavors. 

In addition to teaching and research, these institutions have a much-needed role to play in repairing historic harms from which they have benefited. There are multiple ways universities can develop reciprocal relationships with Indigenous communities to mitigate past harms and grow sustainable futures together.

What is Indigenous Peoples’ Day?

Indigenous Peoples’ Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October. The holiday honors the past, present, and future of Native peoples throughout the United States by recognizing the legacy and impact of colonialism on Native communities and celebrating the cultures, contributions, and resilience of contemporary Native peoples. The idea was born as a counter-celebration to Columbus Day in 1977, at a United Nations sponsored conference in Geneva, Switzerland on discrimination against indigenous populations in the Americas. It was first celebrated in Berkeley, California in 1992, coinciding with the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ arrival, and was formally recognized by the White House in 2021 with an Indigenous Peoples' Day proclamation. While Indigenous Peoples' Day has not replaced Columbus Day as a federal holiday, some states have chosen to switch over to Indigenous Peoples' Day, including Maine and South Dakota. In addition, at least 20 cities and towns in Massachusetts have switched over to Indigenous Peoples' Day, including Amherst, Boston, Cambridge, and Framingham. 

Event Recording and Presentation

The event recording and presentation will be posted to the DEIA website once closed captions have been edited for accuracy.