Happy Native American Heritage Month! This month represents the beautiful culture of Native Americans. The United States of America is a country full of many different cultures due to immigration, but there are those who come from Native American backgrounds which are known to be the original inhabitants. Unfortunately, for Native Americans, this month is not about celebrating Thanksgiving, but it is a month to mourn. Throughout our lives we were not aware of Thanksgiving being a day that an entire cultural population may dread. Thanksgiving Day is a reminder to Native Americans of the murder of millions of Indigenous people and the theft of their land. 

While we are at our homes having feasts on Thanksgiving Day,  many Indigenous people fast from sundown the night before to sundown the day of to remember the genocide their ancestors faced. It is a harsh reality to realize that we were misinformed and unaware about this topic. It is not: “The pilgrims and the Indians with their first Thanksgiving.”  Instead, it is: “Outsiders stole the Indigenous’ land, and the Indigenous people had to face incredible hardships.”

During this month, we take time to not only remember these awful times but also the good. Since the 1400s, Native Americans across North America have begun new lives and overcome the difficulties that suppressed them. With the help of advocates like Dr. Arthur Caswell Parker and organizations like the Congress of the American Indian Association, Native Americans have been able to fight for various legislatures to pass and have been able to reclaim their land. This month is meant to not only to be thankful for what we have, but also to show gratitude towards the original inhabitants of this country.