People Aren't Indigenous Just On October 12

Giant Kingfisher, Kruger National Park, South Africa

Adapted from my LinkedIn article in July 2026: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/people-arent-indigenous-just-october-12-margaret-swift-stirc/
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Are you supporting Indigenous peoples year-round? Or only on special occasions?

In the USA, Indigenous Peoples' Day is celebrated every October 12. National Native American Heritage Month is in November. Every year, so many Native creators and educators that I follow are swamped with speaking requests and engagements around October 12 and in November.

The rest of the year? Crickets. 🦗

This is not to say we shouldn't celebrate, learn about, and lift up our Indigenous neighbors, nor shy away from hosting events or speakers during National Native American Heritage Month. But, if you care about Native expertise, Indigenous ways of thinking, and repairing our society's and individuals' relationship with the land and its original stewards, consider the following actions.

Ongoing donations: Do some research on Native groups local to your area -- who can you support monetarily, regularly? Lists like https://www.givenative.org are a great resource if you don't know where to start. Read more here for my thoughts about donating well.

Engage outside of special occasions: If you're in a position to organize events, host speakers, and invite guests, I encourage you to reach out to Native educators and thinkers at other times of year, too. And maybe think deeply about why you weren't already doing so. I know I've had to.

Challenge others. I am not Indigenous or Native in any way. Sometimes this makes me hesitate to speak out (am I stepping up when I should be stepping back?). But then I remember that these hesitations are just a tool to stop us (non-Native people) from doing the work. It's not about me or how I'm feeling. Challenge others, and yourself, to do more.

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Interested in reading more? Check out my decolonizing ecology series. Or, follow the links below:

Allyship & Acknowledgements

• Become an Ally - Association on American Indian Affairs
• What Good is a Land Acknowledgement [VIDEO], Dr. Cutcha Risling Baldy.
• Five Steps to Writing A Land Acknowledgment - Martha Benduski, Care About Climate, 2020
• A Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgement, Native Governance Center 2019

Academia & Decolonization

• On tap, not on top: An urgent call for academia to support Indigenous science and equitable conservation. Saavedra et al 2026, Earth Stewardship.
• Decolonization is not a metaphor. Tuck & Yang 2012, Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society.

PS - Now a challenge: Apply this thinking to other minority groups with special months (Pride Month, Black History Month, AAPI Heritage Month, Hispanic Heritage Month....)

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