Letter from Patrick, Indigenous Peoples’ Day

This week’s letter to the future comes from Auburn’s Dean, Rev. Patrick B. Reyes, Ph.D., who raises the question about how we might see Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a model for healing in this country.

Friends,

Columbus Day was first reimagined and celebrated as Indigenous Peoples’ Day near where I grew up in California in 1992, 500 years after Columbus set sail. Columbus, born in Italy, was funded by the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand II and Isabella I for, as Paul Wellman most famously named it, Glory, God, and Gold. While Columbus’s voyage did not end up in the place he set out for, his washing up on our shores nevertheless led to a long history of violence. The church and colonization have been collaborating against Turtle Island and its people for a long time.

As we approached the 500th anniversary of Columbus’s voyage, a group of organizers began to imagine a different way to mark the day. They questioned why we celebrated the day when it led to genocide and exploitation of Indigenous peoples and the land we shared.

On this day, my own family honors our ancestors. We tell stories, share food, and celebrate. The storytelling not only focuses on our survival from genocide but also includes creating space for our youth to cast visions for an Indigenous future of their dreams. We are more than just survivors or ghosts of history. We are also makers of a healed future.

This year I am marking the day with a cohort of multifaith emerging leaders in Washington DC, who are asking a similar question. How do we heal our communities? They will be equipped with Auburn’s core curriculum led by Rev. Dr. Shannon Daley-Harris: building community, bridging divides, pursuing justice, and healing the world. The emerging leaders will work across faith and cultural backgrounds to become healing-centered leaders. (Read President Emma Jordan-Simpson’s piece on what healing-centered leadership is here).

I am wondering, what if Indigenous Peoples’ Day offers a model for us to reimagine how we mark our calendars? In 2026, we will have a similar opportunity with the 250th anniversary of the United States. We will honor July 4, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence. Echoing Frederick Douglas, what, to many of us, does the 250th anniversary mean? When the legacies of slavery and genocide against Indigenous peoples manifest themselves today, and national politics revolve around the restriction of rights of women and migrants trying to create a better life, our people are crying out not to win, but for healing.

Could we learn from the reframing of Indigenous Peoples’ Day?

Our country needs healing. Healing from wounds that have deep theological roots.

What if the Fourth of July was a National Day of Healing?

A day for us to heal from the long histories of violence and cast a vision for tomorrow. What if the day was honored like my family marks Indigenous Peoples’ Day by cultural celebrations, dancing, and sharing food, in a way that honors those most harmed by this experiment we are calling democracy?

What if this movement for healing was led by the emerging leaders we are equipping during this program? What future could be imagined by those to whom that future belongs?

In two weeks, we will hear such a vision when Auburn’s President, Rev. Dr. Emma Jordan-Simpson, will sit down with our emerging leaders to discuss healing as a frame for November. We encourage you to register and dream with us. The event is free, and the sign-up is below.

In 2025, Auburn will be going on a healing journey. Stay tuned as we listen and learn about stories of healing across the country preparing to reimagine that 250th anniversary. And if you are moved by this vision, please consider supporting this collective storytelling and healing work by donating below.