STATEMENT ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY FROM BUILDING BACK TOGETHER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DANIELLE MELFI

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 11, 2021
PRESS CONTACT: [email protected]

STATEMENT ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY FROM BUILDING BACK TOGETHER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DANIELLE MELFI

“Today, we celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day by recognizing the vibrant culture, the deep resilience, and innumerable contributions of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians today and throughout history. We must be clear-eyed about our history — including the centuries of violence, displacement, terror, and broken promises endured by Tribal Nations — as well as the continued fight for rights, equity and self-determination. On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we celebrate the leaders who embody the power of Indigenouscommunities and champion their right for self-determination, including Secretary Deb Haaland and Tribal leaders. Their leadership guides us in the work to address the impacts of systemic racism and colonialism, dismantle inequity, and build back better for every American, including Indigenous communities.” 

“The Biden-Harris Administration has committed to ensuring Tribal sovereignty and upholding federal trust and treaty responsibilities to Tribal Nations, as well as ensuring Indigenous peoples are centered in our growing economic recovery. The President has delivered direct aid to Tribal governments, direct relief checks to help Native families make ends meet, loans to Native-owned small businesses to keep their doors open, vaccines to Tribal communities, and more as we have fought a pandemic that has disproportionately hurt Native communities. Now, we must continue the work to pass the Build Back Better Agenda and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal to create new, good-paying jobs, to boost investments in critical infrastructure like clean water and high-speed internet on Tribal lands, to lower the costs of everyday essentials like housing and health care, and ensure our nation’s legacy of inequity is dismantled as we build back better.” 

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