Community | Events | StudentsOctober 09, 2023

UAFS Students Celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day

Written By: Ian Silvester

Students at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith gathered in the Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center to celebrate and increase awareness of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

The holiday honors the history and cultures of indigenous American peoples, steering away from how the day was previously known, Columbus Day.

Led by the UAFS Native American Student Association, or NASA, students were welcome to stop by the campus center fireplace to learn more about the holiday and the cultures of the students from the UAFS indigenous population. At the event, NASA President Jade Cossey, a senior psychology student, and other NASA students helped distribute beaded bracelets made by NASA to help spark a conversation with the UAFS community about the significance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Jade explained that Indigenous Peoples’ Day – the second Monday of October – is a day that “represents all indigenous people,” and by offering bracelets, it serves as a reminder for others to “have us on your mind.”

The importance of the holiday extends beyond the UAFS campus.

In Washington, DC, President Biden issued a proclamation stating, “On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we honor the perseverance and courage of Indigenous peoples, show our gratitude for the myriad contributions they have made to our world, and renew our commitment to respect Tribal sovereignty and self-determination.” Biden later said that they are people of strength and resilience.

Jade and her fellow NASA students were encouraged by the campus engagement. They viewed their efforts as a way to increase student involvement with not only indigenous cultures but all cultures.

Anyone interested in joining or learning more about NASA can attend meetings on Oct. 11 and 25 and Nov. 8 and 29 at 3 p.m. in Flanders 216. You can find more information about NASA on NUMALink. NASA will host a Pumpkin Painting Party from 6-9 p.m. in Boreham Library, room 122, on Oct. 23.

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• Indigenous Peoples' Day
• Native American Student Association
• DEIB