By Wakinyan LaPointe (Sicangu Lakota) and Thorne LaPointe (Sicangu Lakota)
By Wakinyan LaPointe (Sicangu Lakota) and Thorne LaPointe (Sicangu Lakota)
Position Level: Assistant
Location - Country: Remote - with location preference in the following countries: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Chile
Department / Program: Program Keepers of the Earth Fund / Reports to: Keepers of the Earth Fund Program Manager / Schedule Type: Full-Time, 40-Hour/Week
OUR MISSION
In the United States, 21 states now celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day, or a holiday of a similar name, on the second Monday of October, as an official holiday or via proclamation. In 2021, Biden issued the first-ever presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples Day, however he did not replace Columbus Day.
It's time to recognize that celebrating the life of Christopher Columbus also celebrates the erasure of Indigenous existence. While there is a growing movement around the country to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day, more work remains to be done.
Jônatas Robson Simões Moreira (Terena), 26, is from Aldeia Lagoinha, Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. He is a public school teacher with a degree in performing arts and dance from the State University of Mato Grosso do Sul, and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in dance and education. He is an artist, a choreographer, and an activist for Indigenous causes. Nati Garcia (Maya Mam), Cultural Survival Capacity Building Manager, recently spoke with Robson.