Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
A resolution was approved by the Niagara County Community College board of trustees on Tuesday, Nov. 16, recognizing the Friday prior to Thanksgiving as Native American Heritage Day.
This recognition was made possible through efforts of NCCC’s equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) committee. Created in 2016, this group serves to actively engage the whole college community in recognizing the importance of belonging among stakeholders for assuring the success of all members of the college community, including students, staff, faculty and administration, in an ever-increasingly global environment.
A press release said, “Native American Heritage Day is traditionally celebrated on the Friday after Thanksgiving, but NCCC is typically closed that day. Officials at NCCC wanted to ensure this important day received appropriate attention from the campus community, maximizing engagement from students and staff, so the recommendation was made to move this special designation to the Friday before Thanksgiving.”
The Native American club is leading efforts during Native American Heritage Month this November to honor Indigenous People through educational events where attendees can learn about Native American history, the Haudenosaunee people and other tribes around the U.S. On Friday, representatives from EDI and the Native American Club encouraged the campus community to wear orange or purple in recognition of Native American culture lost to assimilation.