If your organization is willing to join the almost 200 organizations that have signed on and be included PUBLICLY as a Supporter of the effort to CHANGE Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples' Day...PLEASE complete the below.

This is organized by the Indigenous Peoples' Day Coalition - Illinois. We PROMISE not to contact you too often! You can always unsubscribe if it's too much communication. Please LIKE and stay tuned to our Facebook page for updates/calls to action: https://www.facebook.com/IPD4IL, and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ipd4il.

Cook County President Preckwinkle has communicated her support to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day for Cook County. The Committee has not voted YET/STILL.  If you haven't yet submitted your personal e-mail of support, please do so here: https://bit.ly/IPDCookCounty

A Bill was introduced to the House to make this change for all of Illinois!!  bit.ly/HB3982IPD


(This is the REVISED TEXT for the Cook County Resolution. The First Draft is below that IF you're interested:)

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

CELEBRATING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY AND RECONCILIATION DAY  

WHEREAS, the County of Cook in the State of Illinois occupies territory that many Sovereign  Nations, including the Potawatomi, Ojibwe, and Odawa, as well as Ho Chunk, Miami, Sac and Fox, Peoria, Illini, and others consider a part of their historical and  modern-day homelands; and

WHEREAS, the Indigenous peoples’ of the Americas who were the original inhabitants of the  land, experienced broken promises, violence, deprivation, and disease due to the acts of  European colonizers; and

WHEREAS, Native Americans in Cook County make up the ninth largest Urban Native  community in the country, a community that continues to practice their cultural traditions,  caretaking of the land and educating others about their history and contemporary challenges; and  

WHEREAS, Cook County acknowledges a responsibility to support diversity, equity and  inclusion in all communities and this effort must acknowledge that Indigenous peoples’ were  systematically removed from their homelands, maligned for their values, and killed to provide  economic opportunities to European colonizers; and  

WHEREAS, Indigenous Peoples’ Day was proposed to the United Nations in 1977 by an  international delegation of Indigenous peoples’ to inform the world about the negative impacts of  colonization and the lasting pains of genocide committed against Native people, Cook County  must reconcile the past and present harm and trauma perpetrated on Native people; and

WHEREAS, the land we call Cook County has always been home to Native Nations with vibrant  cultural traditions and relationships to the land, and while long overdue, the Native Nations’ many  contributions to our present-day society must be acknowledged to create a County where diversity,  equity, healing, and inclusion are the cornerstone of our modern-day culture; and  

WHEREAS, Cook County recognizes our many different cultural groups, races, ethnicities as a  source of strength, but many of these groups have faced prejudice, hate and violence, reconciliation  to and for those groups is an important step towards healing, shared identity, and unity; and

WHEREAS, Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Reconciliation Day shall be an opportunity for  celebration of Indigenous peoples’ cultures and their contributions to our County, and as well as  contributions from all communities that have faced prejudice; and  

WHEREAS, the Cook County Board of Commissioners acknowledges the ongoing struggle for  reconciliation, justice, and citizenship for Freedmen of the four tribes previously referred to as  “Civilized tribes”; and
Now, therefore, Be It Resolved that Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Reconciliation Day will be the  Second Monday in October, replacing Columbus Day. On this holiday Cook County government remembers the mistreatment and acts of violence against Indigenous peoples’ and other groups  of oppressed people, committing to education and sustained efforts towards ending the ongoing  harm and trauma caused by present-day oppressive systems.
 
Therefore, Be It Further Resolved that Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Reconciliation Day will lift up the contributions that all cultures have made to enrich our county; and

Therefore, Be It Further Resolved that the Cook County Board of Commissioners shall establish  the following.

Section 1. A Native-led working group to explore the creation of a Reconciliation process, study  the meaning of reconciliation, research different models of truth and reconciliation commissions,  and understand the impact that such a process might have on Cook County and its residents. The  objective of reconciliation is to navigate the racial healing process by documenting and  addressing the harms that have perpetuated racial disparities by implementing specific solutions  with a prioritized focus on healing.

Section 2. The Human Relations Committee is directed to lead a County-wide effort, in  collaboration with Native leaders and other County departments to explore the formation of a  truth and reconciliation process for Cook County.

Section 3. Within six (6) months, the Human Relations Committee will draft a definition of  Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Reconciliation Day in connection with this Resolution to send  along with a copy of this Resolution to every K-12 school district in Cook County to ensure that  each school district will educate their students, staff, and families about the reason behind Cook  County’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Reconciliation Day.


(FIRST DRAFT Cook County Draft Indigenous Peoples’ Day & Reconciliation Day):

WHEREAS, Cook County, IL currently occupies territory that Sovereign Nations, including the Potawatomi, Ojibwe and Odawa, Ho-Chunk, Miami, Sac and Fox, Peoria, Illini and many others consider to be a part of their historical and modern day homelands; and

WHEREAS, Cook County, has a responsibility to support diversity, equity and inclusion from all communities, however, this effort must begin with acknowledging and reconciling with the fact that America's Native peoples were systematically removed and killed in order to provide economic opportunities to European settlers on this land; and

WHEREAS, Cook County recognizes that Native Nations in the county make up the ninth largest Urban Native community in the country who continue to practice their cultural traditions, caretaking of the land and educating others about the American Native perspective; and

WHEREAS, Indigenous Peoples’ Day was proposed to the United Nations in 1977 by a delegation of Native Nations as a way to bring education around the ongoing impact of colonization and awareness of genocide committed to Native Peoples;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Cook County Board, does hereby resolve:

Cook County, IL has always been home to Native Nations with vibrant cultural traditions and relationships to the land.  This land has a violent history of genocide and removal that must be acknowledged and reconciled in order to create a County where diversity, equity and inclusion are the cornerstone of policies and procedures.  

Indigenous Peoples’ Day shall be an opportunity for celebration of our Indigenous cultures and contributions to the County.  

The second Monday in October shall exclusively be recognized as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Cook County in perpetuity.