Today is Indigenous Peoples' Day and I wanted to take some time to tell you what that means to me.
In Congress, we currently have representation from Alaska Natives and Native Americans for the first time. I am Ho-Chunk from Wisconsin and I am honored to be one of the first two Native American women ever to serve in Congress.
Being one of the first Native American women in Congress, I know the importance of representation in Congress. For most of my life I have seen Native people mostly depicted and discussed in a historical context. But we are still here and we are not just vague figures in history. Tribal communities and Native people exist with the same complexities, issues, and successes that so many others experience. It is profound to acknowledge and celebrate our achievements and lives in a modern context as well.
There is still more work to be done around issues like climate change impacting tribal communities, violence against Native women, and high tribal poverty rates. But with the 118th Congress being among the most diverse in our nation’s history, we will continue to bring these issues to light.
Today, we celebrate our Native communities and Indigenous peoples’ significant additions to our country, while continuing our commitment to ensuring equality and representation for all.
