Indigenous People’s Day noted at SRJC

The Santa Rosa Junior College Student Government Assembly will celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Monday. The event will feature the signing of the Indigenous Peoples Day Resolution. It will take place at SRJC’s Santa Rosa campus on the John Surryhne Outdoor Stage (under the oak trees in the campus quad), from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A complete schedule of activities is available at public-relations.santarosa.edu/ip-day-resolution and the text of the SRJC Indigenous Peoples’ Day Resolution is available at goo.gl/gCJ7YW.

Community members are invited to attend, and enjoy local native dance/drum groups such as Native Resistance, Dave Smith from Manchester Pomo Dance Group, and Danza Azteca Xantotl.

Guest speaker Bill Means of Oglala Lakota American Indian Movement and College Superintendent Dr. Frank Chong will take the stage at about 12:25 p.m. Additional speakers will include students Erika Hernandez Ramirez, SGA VP of Committees, and Hernan Rai Zaragoza, SGA VP of Advocacy; recent SRJC alum Cruz Martinez and Activity Coordinator at California Indian Museum and Cultural Center Rose Hammock. Recognizing the importance of Indigenous roots, SRJC’s SGA views it to be the duty of educational institutions to promote the fearless discussion of uncomfortable truths. Such topics of discussion will include the invasion, conquest, genocide, and environmental destruction of indigenous lands and indigenous peoples that still continues today.

The resolution of Indigenous Peoples’ Day is the result of a collaborative effort by many members of the SRJC community, including students, staff, faculty and community members.

The event follows a series of recent SRJC sponsored events during the Pre-Hispanic Heritage months of September and October, and aims to honor, celebrate and remember the struggles endured by indigenous people.

In addition to the SGA, other SRJC sponsors include the Student Affairs Department, Pre-Hispanic Heritage Month Collaborative, MEChA de SRJC and the Inter-tribal Council.