What is Indigenous Peoples’ Day?
Indigenous Peoples’ Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October 2021. In 2021, President Joe Biden formally commemorated Indigenous Peoples’ Day with a presidential proclamation, becoming the first U.S. president to do so. This day is meant to encourage reflection, recognition, and celebration of the ongoing contributions of Indigenous peoples. Additionally, it is a day to gain some understanding of the diversity of Indigenous peoples.
Indigenous Peoplesʼ Day Programming Theme
Thirty years ago, Kimberlé Crenshaw (1989) coined the legal term intersectionality. Intersectionality acknowledges the interconnected nature of social categories such as gender, disability, race, class, and more. The concept also emphasizes the importance of examining how different forms of oppression and privilege intersect and shape unique experiences for individuals with multiple marginalized identities. Indigenous Peoples’ Day programming will center on intersectionality and how this framework can help us understand several aspects of identity and a diverse set of issues relevant to Indigenous communities. “Intersectionality, as such, is not and does not aim to be neutral. Instead, it is oriented towards exploring diverse forms of political struggles and justice” (May, 2015, p. 28). To this end, intersectionality will be undertaken as a point of departure to examine shared histories of survival, gendered realities, and Indigenous academic identity development. References: Crenshaw, K. (1989). Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: A black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine, feminist theory and antiracist politics. University of Chicago Legal Forum, 140, 139–167.; May, V. M. (2015). Pursuing intersectionality: Unsettling dominant imaginaries. New York, NY/ London: Routledge.
Schedule
- 9 AM Welcome and Indigenous Peoples’ Day Proclamation
- Location: Knight Auditorium.
- Description: The Native American House invites Diane Wolfe Marlin, Mayor of Urbana, and Debra Frank Feinen, Mayor of Champaign, to deliver a joint reading of the Indigenous Peoples’ Day proclamation. Following the proclamation, university leaders will offer a welcome to attendees.
- 9:30 to 10:30 AM Presentation: Mahmud Darwish on Humanism, Spirituality, Colonialism, and Palestinian and Native American Dispossession from Their Lands
- Dr. Awad Awad, Director, SALAAM MENA, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign
- Description: This presentation explores humanism, spirituality, land, belonging, identity, and Indigenous dispossession of the land in Mahmud Darwish’s poetry as they relate to Palestinian and Native American experiences with colonialism.
- 10:45 to 11:45 AM: Matrilineal Bonds and Missing Mothers: Indigenous Women in Film and Television
- Nora Peterson, Associate Director, Prevention, Women’s Resources Center, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign
- Description: As of 2022, the Bureau of Indian Affairs estimates there are 4200 cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women that remain unsolved. Using clips from the 2023 film Fancy Dance, this session will explore how Indigenous women use media to bring attention to the ongoing epidemic of violence against Native women while celebrating culture, resilience, humor, and love amongst Indigenous women and communities.
- 12 to 1 PM: Community Feeed
- Location: Core Gallery.
- Description: For many Indigenous Peoples, feeding the community, including guests, fosters connections and serves as an act of reciprocity. We invite you to share a meal with your University of Illinois Urbana Champaign relatives. Food is first come, first served!
- 1:15 to 2:15 PM: Intersectionality in Indigenous Academic Identity Development: A Panel Discussion
- Moderator: Dr. Jenny L. Davis (Chickasaw), American Indian Studies, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign
- Panelists: Justin Bean (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma), David Eby (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma/Muscogee Creek), Emerson Pehl (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma), Yanaba Schroeder (Navajo), and Alyssa Spencer (Navajo).
- Description: What happens when intersectionality is engaged while fostering Indigenous academic identity development? In this session, Dr. Jenny Davis engages Indigenous undergraduate and graduate scholars by exploring how their lived experiences, including notions of indigeneity and interconnectedness, complicate and expand understandings related to a sense of belonging, inclusion, and identity development.
- 2:15 to 2:30 PM Closing Remarks
- 3 to 4:30 PM 10 Books to Read on Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Pop-up Library
- Location: Native American House (1206 W. Nevada Street, Urbana)
- Description: Curated in collaboration with María Emerson, Student Success Librarian, the pop-up library is an opportunity for Indigenous Peoples to see themselves represented in the University Library collections. Visitors can view materials about Indigenous peoples onsite and engage with María about the range of library resources and services available on campus.
- 4:30 to 8 p.m. Native-themed Meal
- Location: ISR Dining Center (Illinois Street Residence Halls) (1010 W. Illinois St., Urbana)
- Description: In celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day, University Housing will bring a taste of Indigenous food flavors to ISR. Visit the Illinois App or Housing website for details.
