Today is Indigenous Peoples' Day, a holiday celebrating the history and richness of Indigenous cultures in the U.S.
It originally began as a counter-celebration to the federal holiday, Columbus Day, which is also October 9th. Many people reject the narrative of Columbus as an explorer who found the “new world” and instead view him as a symbol of colonialism and violence against Indigenous people.
In recent years, Indigenous Peoples' Day has expanded across the country with several states recognizing it as an official holiday. Arizona is not among them. However, two cities this year – Phoenix and Tempe – will officially recognize it for the first time as a municipal holiday.