PR 23-0500 — Indigenous Peoples' Day Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2019

7ENROLLED ’ORIGINAL CouncilmemberA AnitaRESOLUTION Bonds23-236 CouncilmemberIN DavidTHE GrossoCOUNCIL CouncilmemberOF ©THE ChehDISTRICT srTrayonOF White,COLUMBIA Sr.October 8, 2019 To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to amend the District of Columbia Government Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act of 1978 to change the legal holiday celebrated on the 2nd Monday in October from Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day;

Brand rarneto lCNamend asections br25-723 rand Robert28-2701 C.of the District of Columbia Official Code to do the same.

.hiteBE JIT CouncilmemberENACTED CharlesBY Allen A PROPOSED RESOLUTION IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIACOLUMBIA, TodelreteeisecefanThat mrgnc,wihrepctotenedtoamendheititofthis ClubiaCmpehesieMeitPrsnelActf198tocanetheealhldayact clbatdonte2ndMondayncobrfromColumbusDoInignusPope’may Dy;adtoamendctos25723ad28271ofthesrctofColumbfiialbe Codeootheam.cited as the “Indigenous Peoples’ Day Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2019”.

BEITENACTED BYTHECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIAhtths ctmayectdashe“ndgeosPepls’DayEmergenecaatonRsluionf21”.

Sc..()ColumbusDaywficalyeigatdafdraloidyin13,alhogh hisoperColumbudntdicoerheAercs,asilinsopeoplerearadyiig nNrthAmericpnhsarialnteAerca.

b)CrstphrColumbueerstfotonhehoesfwht snowknownshe 4l United States ofAmerica.

(c)Christopher Columbus enslaved, colonized, mutilated, and massacred thousands of IndigenousPentheAmericas.

()CurrentltaesandmorethaniisdonotobserveColumbusDay.

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()TheCouncilacknowleenegativsoicandcontinuingimpactsofEuropean colonization on the Indigenous Peoples ofthe Americas and reaffirms the District'scommitment oeuaiy,dvriy,andinclusorl.

(g) As partofthatcommitment, the Council declares thatthere existsan immediate need ohonorIndigenousPeochisoyandclurebyactingexpeditoamendxsing law to rename the holiday celebrated on the 2nd Monday inOctober from Columbus Day to IndigenousPeoples’Day.

2.

(a) Columbus Day was officially designated a federal holiday in 1937, although Christopher Columbus did not discover the Americas, as millions of people were already living in North America upon his arrival in the Americas.

(b) Christopher Columbus never set foot on the shores of what is now known as the United States of America.

(c) Christopher Columbus enslaved, colonized, mutilated, and massacred thousands of indigenous people in the Americas.

(d) Currently 7 states and more than 70 cities do not observe Columbus Day.

(e) Columbus Day is in reverence to a divisive figure whose actions against indigenous people run counter to the values of equality, diversity, and inclusion—values that the District of Columbia has long embodied—and serves only to perpetuate hate and oppression, in contrast to the values the District espouses on a daily basis.

(f) The Council acknowledges the negative historic and continuing impacts of European colonization on the indigenous peoples of the Americas and reaffirms the District’s commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion for all.

(g) As part of that commitment, the Council declares that there exists an immediate need to honor indigenous peoples’ rich history and culture by acting expeditiously to amend existing law to rename the holiday celebrated on the 2nd Monday in October from Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

ENROLLED ORIGINAL Sec.

The Council oftheof DistrictofColumbiathe District of Columbia determines thatthethat the circumstances enumerated insectionin section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making itnecessaryit thatthenecessary ndgeouseole’DayEmergencyAmendmentf2019beadopteferainleeaig.that the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Emergency Amendment Act of 2019 be adopted after a single reading.

This resolution shalltakeshall effectimmediately.take effect immediately.