Each year, the president of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) presents the State of Indian Nations around the same time as the U.S. president’s State of the Union. To facilitate direct engagement, a member of Congress is also invited each year to deliver a congressional response.
Tag: racial justice
Day of Remembrance: Japanese American Incarceration
On this day in 1942, the War Relocation Authority was established to relocate Japanese-Americans to internment camps. Discuss the significance of this anniversary by emphasizing the values of community and safety.
US v. Bhagat Singh Thind
On this day in 1923, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled in the case of United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind that an Indian Sikh man was ineligible for naturalized citizenship in the United States. The decision prevented South Asians from becoming American citizens. Discuss this anniversary by citing the values of opportunity and equity.
Emancipation Proclamation
On this day in 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation took effect. The Zinn Education Project notes that few textbooks credit the real anti-slavery heroes in this story: the enslaved themselves, along with their Black and white abolitionist allies. You can also make the connection to attacks on Critical Race Theory and the importance of being honest about our nation’s history. Cite the values of Voice, Equality, and Economic Security.
Poverty Awareness Month
January is Poverty Awareness Month, when the Catholic community urges Americans to “take up Pope Francis’ challenge to live in solidarity with the poor.” Use this month to discuss poverty with your audiences and cite the values of community and economic opportunity.
NBA All-Star Game
This weekend, the National Basketball Association (NBA) hosts its All-Star Game. Professional basketball players — from the NBA and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) — have been important cultural influencers in the Movement for Black Lives. Many WNBA athletes have also actively organized in support of pay equity. Use this weekend to talk about racial and gender justice both on and off the court. Cite the values of voice, equity, and safety.
Toni Morrison & Audre Lorde
Today is the birthday of two influential African-American writers/activists: Toni Morrison and Audre Lorde. They were born a few years apart. Throughout their careers, they explored the intersectional issues of race, gender, and sexuality. Morrison won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993. Use their birthdays to raise the values of voice and equity.
Super Bowl
Today is Super Bowl Sunday in Glendale, AZ. While the big game is best known for entertaining commercials and snack spreads, the media event surrounding it has also created opportunities for cultural strategies, from Beyoncé’s iconic halftime show to activism for NFL teams to drop offensive and disparaging Native American mascots. Cite the values of voice and equity.
“I Am a Man” Protest
On this day in 1968, African American sanitation workers went on strike in Memphis, Tennessee for better pay and safer working conditions. The strikers would create the iconic image with their “I Am a Man” posters. During the strike, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. traveled to Memphis, where he was assassinated. Discuss this anniversary by citing the values of voice, opportunity, and community.
The Longest Walk
On this day in 1978, Native American activists launched The Longest Walk, a 3,200-mile spiritual walk across the country to support tribal sovereignty and challenge anti-Indian legislation that limited water rights. Today, supporting indigenous-led campaigns to protect water rights and ancestral lands remains urgent. When discussing this anniversary, cite the values of voice and opportunity.
