Title
To Celebrate Native American Heritage Month and Recognize the Work and Contributions of NAICCO
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WHEREAS, Native American Heritage Month is celebrated each November and marks a time for us to honor the historical contributions of Native peoples to our communities and appreciate the diversity, culture, and traditions of respective Native tribes; and,
WHEREAS, Native American Heritage Month was first recognized in 1990 through a joint resolution ratified by President George H.W. Bush, however the annual celebration can trace its roots to the early 1900’s where Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a member of the Seneca Tribe, successfully advocated to the American Indian Association for the recognition of American Indian Day; and,
WHEREAS, as of October 2023, the United States is home to over 2.2 million Native Americans and Alaskan Natives, with the U.S. Census estimating that roughly 35,000 Native Americans and Alaska Natives are living within Ohio; and,
WHEREAS, the Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio (NAICCO) was founded in 1975 by Selma Sully-Walker, a member of the Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota, to create a home for Native Americans living within Central Ohio; and,
WHEREAS, NAICCO’s mission is to preserve and restore balance in the lives of Native Americans through traditional, cultural, educational, family, community, and wellness driven values and initiatives; and,
WHEREAS, to accomplish this mission, NAICCO has developed two flagship programs: NAICCO Cuisine, a program promoting Native American cuisines, and Land Back NAICCO, an effort to purchase a permanent home for the NAICCO community; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS: That this Council does hereby celebrates Native American Heritage Month and recognizes and appreciates the work and contributions of NAICCO, calling for all residents to honor this occasion with the appropriate educational and advocacy efforts;