Honoring Indigenous Peoples day

On the second Monday of October, Americans celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day as a federal holiday. Across the country, cities heeded the call from indigenous activists to stop celebrating the Italian navigator Cristopher Columbus. There is a growing discussion on indigeneity, genocide, and geopolitics over the past year. This Indigenous Peoples Day feels especially somber with climate change, genocide, and right-wing extremism on the rise. Read the full article to learn more about how we can support Indigenous Peoples where we live and globally.

"We are what we imagine. Our very existence consists in our imagination of ourselves. Our best destiny is to imagine, at least, completely, who and what, and that we are. The greatest tragedy that can befall us is to go unimagined" -Scott Momaday

At MuslimARC, we honor Indigenous peoples globally, past, present, and future. We acknowledge those who have continuing presence in their homelands and those who have been displaced and and are in diaspora. We uplift the contributions Indigenous Peoples offer and center their leadership in climate justice, democracy, gender justice, and food security. Read the full post for tips on honoring Indigenous Peoples Day. The UN website "Indigenous Peoples: Respect not Dehumanization" states:

“Indigenous peoples have in common a historical continuity with a given region prior to colonization and a strong link to their lands. They maintain, at least in part, distinct social, economic and political systems. They have distinct languages, cultures, beliefs and knowledge systems. They are determined to maintain and develop their identity and distinct institutions and they form a non-dominant sector of society.”

Some quick facts

Indigenous is a legal term and a group identity.
There are 476.6 million Indigenous peoples globally and 50 million with an Indigenous designation in Africa, including Nubia, Haratine, Amizigh and Nuba.
Indigenous people are survivors of genocide, erasure, and forced acculturation.
Nations violate indigenous peoples’ human rights, leading to disparities in education, health, and housing.
Indigenous peoples manage half the world’s land and 80% of the world’s biodiversity.
They are three times as likely to live in extreme poverty.

How to Act Now

Avoid cultural appropriation and remove harmful stereotypes from your vocabulary.
Appreciate the vast diversity of Indigenous Peoples globally by learning their history and cultural practices.
Understand the history and root causes of problems that affect Indigenous Peoples.
Follow and support Indigenous activists addressing violence against women, climate justice, food, and democracy.

Resources

NDN Collective

Four Rs Youth Movement

Cultural Survival Minority Rights Group

The International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs

Latest posts

The Labor of Labor Day

The United States and Canada observe Labor Day every first Monday of September. The rest of the world honors Labor Day on May 1st. Instead of reflecting on the accomplishments and contributions of workers, we take a holiday, run errands, or shop. September’s Labor Day lacks rallies, commemorations, or political education efforts. Workers do not get a space to voice their demands or concerns. Labor Day sales do not help us connect our struggles with economic justice. Our Labor Day in September is simply a pressure release valve, a federal day off that many disenfranchised individuals do not get.

A People's Guide to media literacy

“Without facts, you can’t have truth. Without truth, you can’t have trust. Without trust, we have no shared reality, and it becomes impossible to deal with the existential problems we face.”
Maria Ressa (Nobel Peace Prize-winning journalist)

This war on truth isn’t theoretical. We’ve seen it in political messaging , AI deep fakes, and media manipulation. Now that we get our information dispersed across podcasts, vlogs, and text messages it is becoming harder to tell fact from fiction. Disinformation distracts us, divides us, and discredits our movements. In today's world, elected officials share false stories about immigrants to stoke xenophobic and anti-Black sentiments to drive votes. Conspiracy theories fuel distrust and are used to undermine social justice movements. In this fast-paced Age of Information, we must learn to distinguish between propaganda and education and sensationalism and journalism.

The good news? You don't need a college degree to be media literate. Every day, people have always been truth-tellers, especially in our families and communities. Whether you're an auntie sharing news in a group chat, a teen on social media, or someone just trying to stay informed without getting overwhelmed, this guide is for you.

Juneteenth 2025

Juneteenth: More Than History—it’s a Movement We Must Protect

“The only way we’ll get freedom for ourselves is to identify ourselves with every oppressed people in the world.” Malcolm X

Juneteenth marks not just the end of chattel slavery, but the beginning of a continued struggle for freedom. As federal troops enforced emancipation in Texas in 1865, systems of racial oppression evolved. Mass incarceration, labor trafficking, and border enforcement remain legal through loopholes like the 13th Amendment and state-sponsored exploitation. This regime threatens not only our civil rights, but our freedoms.

Under Siege: Erasing American Memory

The Trump administration and its Project 2025 blueprint have openly moved to dismantle institutions that preserve Black history. They have defunding museums like the National Museum of African American History, censoring school curricula, banning DEI, and even directing park rangers to flag “negative” narratives. Project 2025’s “Mandate for Leadership” calls for mass deportations and expanded executive powers, threatening immigrants and activists alike. In 2025, federal grant programs for Juneteenth were rescinded, shrinking celebrations and chilling organizers.

Modern Forms of Unfreedom

Global slavery still traps over 50 million people. In the U.S., over 400,000 are in forced labor in fields like agriculture, domestic work, incarceration, and sex trafficking . African migrants face exploitation in the kafala system—tied to employers in Gulf countries—and trafficking across international borders. This exploitation is the unpaid labor behind our smartphones, chocolate, and gold.

Our Role as MuslimARC

As a faith-rooted anti-racism collective, MuslimARC rejects the erasure of this ongoing struggle. We affirm:

Abolition of mass incarceration and exploitative labor systems

Divestment from racial capitalism and unjust supply chains

Investment in Black led freedom movements and Black Immigrant and Indigenous leadership

What You Can Do

Speak out—call out historical erasure at Juneteenth events and in schools.

Support DEI and grant-funded programs facing defunding.

Divest from products built on exploitation—like cobalt, chocolate, gold, electronics.

Amplify Black- and immigrant-led campaigns for freedom and rights.

This Juneteenth, our struggle is not history—it’s alive. If our institutions seek to silence our stories, our answer must be louder, bolder, more united.