Eastfield’s campus is on the Indigenous lands of the Wichita, Kiikaapoi, Tawakoni and Jumanos people. Across the world, the influence and history of Indigenous peoples are preserved and remembered through names, food and storytelling. The recognition of Native-American history is imperative to the creation of the nation we all reside in. Yet, with another Executive Order (EO), the Trump Administration has removed the recognition of October 13 from Indigenous Peoples Day to instead solely highlight Columbus Day. The change was made to “commemorate the original American hero and to celebrate American exceptionalism.”

Actions such as these continue to push the false narrative that Christopher Columbus was an outstanding representation of American culture and suppress Indigenous history and culture on a nationwide scale. The oppression, discrimination and exploitative treatment of Indigenous peoples will be forever engrained in the foundation of this nation. Attempts to rewrite Native-American history and its significance are not only disrespectful, but also highlight a distasteful action of governing entities curating a scope of how history is presented to the public.

Recognizing that United States citizens currently reside on is Native American soil represents one of many ways to uplift Indigenous voices and culture. The Land Back movement actively works to restore sovereignty to Native Americans as well as provide ecological justice for lost lands. Native-Land.ca | Our home on native land is a website that provides the ancestral history of the areas people reside on. The resistance against rewriting Native-American history must continue through remembrance, perseverance and acknowledgment from the people and by the people.