Communities across the country are celebrating Indigenous People's Day today.
The City of Flagstaff is hosting a virtual and in-person event at City Hall. The theme of this year's celebration is "honoring the voices of our youth."
As part of the Flagstaff events, young adults will speak about their advocacy work and will attempt to bring awareness to the impacts of climate change on Native communities.
Indigenous People's Day is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October. While it isn't a federal holiday, in recent years an increasing number of communities in several states recognize it in lieu of Columbus Day to reflect on the legacy of colonialism. Indigenous People's Day also recognizes the resilience of Native communities while honoring the past and looking toward the future.
President Joe Biden issued a proclamation recognizing the holiday to honor the sovereignty, resilience, and contributions that Native Americans have made to the world.
Last year, Biden appointed Deb Haaland as U.S. Interior Secretary. She's a member of New Mexico's Laguna Pueblo and the first Native American to hold a cabinet post. She recently held a virtual event to honor the strength of indigenous communities and their traditions and cultures that have survived millennia.