Today’s Action: Give thanks, while acknowledging the history of Thanksgiving!

This is certainly a different Thanksgiving than last year! Many of us are returning to in-person time with loved ones after a difficult year away. We should all be thankful for the first responders and scientists who have gotten us to this much safer place in record time, along with a desperately needed change in national leadership and the people who fought tirelessly and selflessly to make that a reality.

And here at OD Action, we could not be more thankful for you — our community. We’re in constant awe and appreciation for the actions that you take on a monthly, weekly, daily basis to fight for justice and equality, and we’re honored to be at your side on this journey to a better future.

For those community members who are not of Native heritage, we have an important action for you to take today (beyond staying safe): before you begin your meal, take a moment to acknowledge the unceded Native tribal land you reside on.

Thanksgiving is a painful time for many Native communities, as it propagates the historical erasure of a continent of indigenous peoples and cultures at the violent hands of European settlers and governments. This is a holiday that normalizes genocide and ethnic cleansing, in a country that oppresses and silences Native communities and occupies indigenous territory to this day. After all of the cultural and political realizations of the past year, we must acknowledge it as a present day issue: we are in a state of active colonization.

So make a moment – whether you’re with family or on your own – to investigate and acknowledge whose land you’re living on before you launch into celebrations. We must battle Native erasure with facts and education. Land acknowledgement is the first step of many toward reconciling our participation in occupying stolen lands, and strengthening and empowering your local Native communities today and going forward.

Search the Whose Land map to learn about to whom the land you live on belongs, and include land acknowledgement in today’s activities. Many tribes have websites with both historical and current-day information to begin your journey in self-education.