Dear San Diego Oasis Participants, 

A few days ago, we celebrated an important holiday around the world. August 9 marked the celebration of indigenous people throughout the world. The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is designed to raise awareness and protect the rights of the world’s indigenous population.

The event also celebrates and uplifts the achievements and contributions that indigenous people have made to global issues such as environmental protection.

Each year, a theme is chosen to represent and acknowledge different contributions made by the indigenous community. This year’s theme is “The Role of Indigenous Women in the Preservation and Transmission of Traditional Knowledge.” In other words, the theme recognizes the essential role women play in passing on and preserving cultural knowledge. 

While indigenous women are crucial contributors to their communities, they nevertheless often suffer from intersecting levels of discrimination on the basis of gender, class, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. For this reason, it is not only critical to acknowledge the role they play, but also advocate for their justice and equity.
 
While this day has already passed, our responsibility to educate ourselves on indigenous communities continues. For access to more information on indigenous communities, indigenous women and their contributions, and International Day of the World’s Indigenous people, please click the references below. Additionally, once our  September/October catalog is released, please be sure to look for upcoming classes about the indigenous community coming up in our next trimester to learn more about indigenous history, culture, and advocacy. 

Warmly, 
Sydney Folsom
Diversity Outreach Coordinator

Sources:

• https://www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org/resources/updates/international-day-of-the-worlds-indigenous-peoples/ 
• https://sdg.iisd.org/events/worlds-indigenous-peoples-2022/ 
• https://www.firstpost.com/world/international-day-of-the-worlds-indigenous-peoples-2022-all-you-need-to-know-11030421.html