Advancement of Massachusetts Indigenous Legislative Agenda
🗣️ Let's Make History Together! 🗣️
It's time to stand with the Massachusetts Indigenous community and support their legislative journey! Right now, they've got five powerful bills on the table, and they need our help. Here's the scoop on each bill:
- Bid farewell to Native American sports mascots: We're talking about those stereotypical symbols that don’t reflect our vibrant Indigenous cultures accurately. This bill aims to ban these mascots from public schools across the state, and it's already garnering strong support from Indigenous leaders and state legislators like Sen. Jo Comerford.
- Columbus Day's Time is over: Time to swap out Columbus Day for Indigenous Peoples Day statewide. This bill is also championed by Sen. Comerford, and it symbolizes the move towards recognizing and honoring Native American tribes. Let's make it happen!
- Empowering Native American education: This bill plans to create a permanent commission to monitor and improve the education of American Indian and Alaska Native residents of Massachusetts. It's a crucial step towards ensuring a fair learning environment for all.
- Protect sacred Indigenous artifacts: This bill will safeguard Native American artifacts from commercial sale to prevent the exploitation of our cultural heritage. Indigenous leaders have spoken up in support, and the bill is an essential part of the Mass Indigenous Legislative Agenda push.
- Teaching the true history: This bill emphasizes accurate and respectful teaching of Native American history and contemporary cultures in public schools. This effort is closely tied to broader educational reform and supported by multiple Indigenous organizations and the state’s Indian Affairs Commission.
🕰️ Timeline 🕰️While some bills have already advanced out of committee, the timeline for a full vote is still uncertain for a few, particularly the mascot and Columbus Day bills. It's crucial that we keep advocating for these bills and show our support!
🤝 United we stand🤝The Massachusetts Indigenous community has united with a growing coalition of state representatives and senators to push for these bills. The May 12, 2025, MILA forum at the State House showcased the powerful bond and collective determination of Indigenous leaders across the state.
🔥 Time is Now 🔥Let's make a difference. Reach out to your representatives and support these crucial Indigenous-backed bills. Together, we can be on the right side of history and work towards a fairer, more representative Massachusetts!
If you live in the district of one of the lead legislative sponsors of the Mass Indigenous Agenda bills, please contact them directly for updates and suggestions on who to reach out to for additional support. Here are their names:
- Rep. David Biele
- Rep. Brandy Fluker-Reid
- Rep. Samantha Montano
- Rep. David Rogers
- Sen. Jo Comerford
- Sen. Jason Lewis
- Sen. Liz Miranda
- Sen. Rebecca Rausch
Let's make this happen! 🚀🚀🎉🎉
Join the movement of education and self-development by reaching out to your representatives and learning more about the Massachusetts Indigenous Legislative Agenda bills. Stay informed about general news related to these bills and show your support.
