HomeMy WebLinkAbout101419_ra01JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
Philip Morley, County Administrator
FROM: Kate Dean, Commissioner
DATE: October 14, 2019
SUBJECT: Indigenous People's Day Proclamation
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
Jefferson County will consider again joining a growing number of counties, cities and states that
have recognized the second Monday of October as Indigenous People's Day, creating an
opportunity to promote appreciation, tolerance, understanding, friendship and partnerships -
particularly with the Tribal nations who lived, subsisted, congregated and traveled on the
Olympic Peninsula lands and waters since time immemorial.
ANALYSIS:
The County is committed to building strong working relationships with our tribal neighbors
through formal and informal Government -to -Government relations. Recognizing Indigenous
People's Day is a good faith effort to acknowledge that this County sits on tribal lands, to
address the historic injustices that colonization brought, and to build trust and understanding for
present and future work together.
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve and adopt the attached Proclamation declaring Monday, October 14t', 2019 as
Indigenous People's Day.
A DI
Date
PROCLAMATION
A proclamation officially recognizing the Second Monday of October, 2019 as Indigenous People's Day in
order to promote respect, representation, understanding and friendship, and to combat the prejudice and
discrimination stemming from colonization.
WHEREAS, Jefferson County recognizes that it occupies tribal ancestral land and recognizing that tribal people
have lived, subsisted, congregated and traveled on these land and waters since time immemorial; and
WHEREAS, the county honors the treaty rights of tribes as sovereign nations and participates in good faith
consultation and Government -to -Government relations; and
WHEREAS, the county values the many contributions Indigenous People have made to our community with
their knowledge, labor, technology, science, philosophy, arts, and the deep cultural influences which have
shaped the character of our county; and
WHEREAS, Jefferson County recognizes that systemic racism toward Indigenous People perpetuates high rates
of poverty and income inequality, exacerbating health, education and social crises; and
WHEREAS, the idea of Indigenous People's Day was first proposed in 1977 to the United Nations -sponsored
International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas; and
WHEREAS, in 2011, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, representing fifty-nine tribal Nations, passed
Resolution #11-57 to "Support to Change Columbus Day to Indigenous People's Day; and
WHEREAS, Jefferson County joins a growing number of counties that have recognized the second Monday of
October as Indigenous People's Day, creating an opportunity to promote appreciation, tolerance, understanding,
friendship and partnerships among all peoples;
NOW THEREFORE, the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners does hereby proclaim the second
Monday in October as
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S DAY
in Jefferson County, and encourage all to celebrate the thriving cultures and values of the Indigenous Peoples of
our region, to learn more about the history of Indigenous Peoples and their cultures, and to continue efforts to
promote the well-being of our Indigenous communities.
APPROVED this 14th day of October, 2019.
SEAL
ATTEST:
Carolyn Gallaway, Deputy Clerk of the Board
JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Kate Dean, Chair
David Sullivan, Member
Greg Brotherton, Member