BU Today: Adrienne Young (SSW’21) Discusses Convincing BU to Recognize Indigenous People’s Day [Podcast]
This year marks Boston University’s decision to change Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day. BU School of Social Work alumna Adrienne Young (SSW’21) has led the charge over the past few years to make this shift in the school’s calendar. In an interview with BU Today, Young discusses that journey, and why the change empowers and celebrates indigenous people.
Excerpt from “Why Did BU Rename Columbus Day Indigenous Peoples Day?” by Doug Most on BU Today’s Question of the Week Podcast:
“As an indigenous person, I’m always looking out for indigenous rights, and unfortunately, it’s been something that has had to be very present in my life.
And it’s unfortunate that these issues have to be present; I love being Native American. But there was a personal issue… I think my family felt very happy and proud when they made the change. And so it definitely makes a difference. But also, as an indigenous person, when I moved to Boston, I looked into other indigenous organizations or ways to connect with the community in Boston and Indigenous Peoples Day MA is a large campaign that’s being organized [and] that has a bill trying to move through the state legislature.
They actually had a hearing on [September 28, 2020] so I checked in with them, and heard more about their campaign, and saw where they were making a difference, and used a lot of their resources and information to try and make it happen at BU.
…The School of Social Work, and the [BUSSW Student Union] in particular, is very supportive. And so, I was part of the Student Union and there’s a lot of enthusiasm to remove Columbus Day, and Jorge Delva, who’s the dean, has, like I said, really worked with me to help make the school an even more welcoming place for Indigenous students, so I think he was happy to see everything that I shared with him.
He and the dean of equity and inclusion let me know that they would elevate it and do their best, but they couldn’t make any promises about the larger school. But last year, Jorge made it official at the School of Social Work, and that they would recognize Indigenous Peoples Day instead of Columbus Day.
So I’m really heartened to see that BU is following suit this year.”