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The Push for Recognition of Indigenous Peoples' Day

Courtesy of Tracy Peterson
Iowa City proclaims Indigenous Peoples’ Day";

Johnson County has declared that from now on, Columbus Day will be recognized as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Iowa City has also made the proclamation - joining dozens of cities across the U.S. in doing so.

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Hear Ben Stanton's interview with Tracy Peterson - River to River

In this News Buzz edition of River to River, Ben Stanton talks with Tracy Peterson, an Iowa City resident who has been pushing for the recognition of Indigenous Peoples' Day since the 1990s.

“Indigenous Peoples' Day celebrates the resilience and the beauty of indigenous cultures worldwide," says Peterson. "Acknowledging Indigenous Peoples' Day also acknowledges the genocide and colonization that occurred against indigenous people, not only here in America, but worldwide. We can’t deny that these atrocities didn’t occur. We need to embrace these past events so that healing and reconciliation can be promoted.”

Tracy Peterson is the director of Diversity Programs and K-12 Outreach at the University of Iowa.

Also during the show, Stanton talks with Iowa Public Radio reporter Katarina Sostaric about her reporting on opioid abuse this week; Tony Leys of the Des Moines Register talks about whether the Trump administration will approve or deny a “stopgap” plan to stabilize Iowa's health insurance market; and Brian Feist of UnityPoint Health in Des Moines talks about the role that Iowa’s two level-1 trauma centers play in the aftermath of tragedies similar to the one in Las Vegas.

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