Agenda - 03-22-2016 - 6-a - Minutes

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5 1 2 WHEREAS, Orange County values the contributions made to the progress of society 3 accomplished through the knowledge, labor, technology, philosophy, arts and culture of 4 Indigenous Peoples; and 5 6 WHEREAS, Orange County recognizes its responsibility to promote the human and civil rights 7 of all people inclusive of Indigenous People of the United States; and 8 9 WHEREAS, the people of Orange County understand that, to help close the equity gap, 10 governments, agencies and institutions must change policies and practices to reflect the 11 experiences of the Indigenous Peoples of this land, and uplift the Indigenous Peoples of this 12 nation; and 13 14 WHEREAS, the idea of Indigenous Peoples' Day was proposed first in 1977 by a delegation of 15 Indigenous Nations who came before the International Conference on Discrimination Against 16 Indigenous Populations in the Americas, sponsored by the United Nations; and 17 18 WHEREAS, on February 4, 2002, the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, located in 19 Orange, Caswell and Alamance Counties, became the eighth state-recognized Indian tribe in 20 North Carolina, and is one of 567 Indigenous Nations in the United States; and 21 22 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of County 23 Commissioners henceforth shall recognize the second Monday in October as Indigenous 24 Peoples' Day to celebrate and honor the history, legacy, heritage and activism of Indigenous 25 Peoples that have existed here since pre-European colonialism; and 26 27 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Orange County, in concert with the Towns of Carrboro, 28 Chapel Hill and Hillsborough, encourages elected bodies, educational institutions, businesses 29 and organizations throughout the United States likewise to adopt and recognize Indigenous 30 Peoples' Day; and 31 32 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Orange County, inclusive of the Towns of Carrboro, Chapel 33 Hill and Hillsborough, joins the Tribal Council of the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation in 34 declaring that Indigenous Peoples' Day shall be an opportunity to celebrate the thriving cultures 35 and values of Indigenous Peoples; and 36 37 BE IT MOREOVER RESOLVED, that Indigenous Peoples' Day shall be used to reflect upon 38 the struggles of all Indigenous People in this land including, those whose ancestors lived in the 39 area now known as Orange County, and to reaffirm a commitment toward reconciliation among 40 all Peoples, and thereby to promote the progress and advancement of civilization. 41 42 43 A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Price to 44 approve the resolution recognizing the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples' Day 45 in Orange County and authorized the Chair to sign the resolution. 46 47 VOTE: UNANIMOUS 48 49 Commissioner Rich presented the resolution to Tony Hayes.