Rally and Advocacy Day for Indigenous Legislative Agenda

I know you care about passing important legislation for Indigenous justice, so I’m writing to invite you to MA Indigenous Legislative Agenda rally and advocacy day Thursday, June 15th 11:30AM – 1PM. There are thousands of bills that have been filed this session- we need our five bills to grab the attention of legislators.

Here is our plan:

11:30 AM : Gather on the Statehouse Steps for Rally
12:00 PM: Speakers & Press Conference
12:30 PM: Head into the Statehouse for Advocacy

As you know, we have five critical bills we want to pass this session.

• An Act prohibiting the use of Native American mascots by public schools in the Commonwealth. H.477/S.245 Currently about 25 public high schools in the state use Native American mascots. This bill would task the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education with establishing regulations to prohibit Native American mascots in MA public schools.

• An Act establishing an Indigenous Peoples Day. H.2989/S.1976 This bill replaces Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day in the Massachusetts General Laws.

• An act relative to celebrating and teaching Native American cultures and history. H.529/S.344 This bill addresses the lack of Indigenous curriculum in Massachusetts public schools.

• An Act providing for the creation of a permanent commission relative to the education of American Indian and Alaska Native residents of the Commonwealth. H.536/S.318 As a State Education Agency, the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must engage in timely and meaningful consultation with stakeholders. Representatives of Indian tribes located in the state are explicitly identified as stakeholders.

• An Act to protect Native American Heritage. H.3248/S.2186 This would ensure that Native American funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony (those of cultural, traditional or historical importance to their heritage) held in governmental, municipal or non-profit collections are not sold for profit.

So, please save the date, we need you there- Thursday, June 15th, 11:30AM at the statehouse.