The Los Angeles Board of Supervisors passed a motion, authored by Supervisor Hilda L. Solis and co-authored by Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, removing Columbus Day as an official county holiday and replacing it with Indigenous Peoples Day.

Since at least 1970, Native Americans have celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day on the second Monday of October as a day of remembrance of their ancestors, as a means of dispelling the myth that Columbus discovered America, and to celebrate the survival, resilience and deep contributions to all people who now live on this continent.

Recognizing the contributions, history and sacrifices made by the original inhabitants of Los Angeles and this continent is long overdue. This one act of restorative justice is important to many communities throughout the County, especially Native Americans, who have some of the highest percentages of depression, incarceration, infant mortality, diabetes and a lower life expectancy of any demographic.

The motion establishes Indigenous Peoples Day as an official county holiday on the second Monday of each October; designates October 12 of each year as Italian-American Heritage Day in the County of Los Angeles; and sends a five signature letter urging the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education to consider taking a similar action.

As declared by the presidential proclamation of 2015, Native Americans and their traditions inspire the ideals of self-governance and determination that are the framework of our nation.