The St. Louis Park City Council issued a proclamation honoring Oct. 9 as Indigenous Peoples Day. View the full proclamation below.

To celebrate Indigenous People’s Day, the City of St. Louis Park invites residents to learn about the history of Indigenous communities in our state and city, consider supporting Indigenous-owned businesses and attending an event or exhibit that highlights Indigenous art, culture, and history, and to connect with Indigenous organizations in Minnesota.

To celebrate Indigenous People’s Day, the City of St. Louis Park invites you to:

• Learn about the history of Indigenous communities in our state and city
  • National Museum of the American Indian: gallery
  • Indian Tribal Nations in Minnesota / Indian Affairs
• Consider supporting Indigenous owned businesses and attending an event or exhibit that highlights American Indian art, culture, and history
  • Birchbark Books & Native Arts / Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • National Museum of the American Indian: exhibitions
• Connect with Indigenous organizations in Minnesota
  • Native American Community Development Institute
  • North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems

Proclamation

The proclamation reads:

Whereas, Minnesota is home to 11 federally recognized tribes, seven of them are Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) and four are Dakota Oyate (Dakota); and

Whereas, the lands that make up St. Louis Park are the original homelands of the Dakota people; and

Whereas, celebrating Indigenous peoples on this day brings a moment for education and awareness of the genocide that Indigenous communities endured during the arrival of settler-colonialism; and

Whereas, this day is an opportunity to recognize the contributions of Indigenous peoples in our city, state, and nation, including all the ways they have helped create a more just and inclusive community for all; and

Whereas, Indigenous nations in Minnesota continue to face the effects of colonization and continued discrimination against their way of life, language, traditions, and history through the legacy of the Indian removal act, Indian boarding school policies, and other policies that infringed on Indigenous rights; and

Whereas, the legacy of state and federal policies is visible and present in the crises of Indigenous communities and relatives suffering as unhoused persons or from the opioid epidemic; and

Whereas, Indigenous communities are fighting for justice in the historical and present crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives; and

Whereas, the community of St. Louis Park is called to reflect and work towards better policies and practices that center around Indigenous experiences and honor Indigenous sovereignty; and

Whereas, St. Louis Park has a commitment to being a leader in race, equity and inclusion, and encourages our community to honor Indigenous People’s Day by taking the time to learn about, support, and connect with Indigenous communities and organizations.

Now therefore, let it be known that the mayor and city council of the City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, hereby honor October 9, 2023, as Indigenous People’s Day in our community.