LANSING, Michigan — Monday afternoon, neighbors and local leaders gathered on the lawn at the state capitol to celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day, reflecting on both the progress made and the challenges that Indigenous communities continue to face today.
Clinton Gould, who has performed traditional songs and dances across 46 states throughout North America, said Indigenous Peoples' Day represents his everyday reality rather than a single day of recognition.
WATCH BELOW: Indigenous Peoples' Day celebration highlights community progress and ongoing challenges
"This is everyday life for me. I wake up, drive around, and listen to Native American music. I don't know any other life," Gould said.
Gould was among many community members who came out to celebrate Indigenous culture at the Capitol event. He acknowledged significant changes over the past three decades, including improvements like tuition waivers for Indigenous students.
However, Gould also shared that challenges persist in his community.
"We still get a lot of racism," Gould said.
He expressed hope that this discrimination would change during his lifetime.
Jessica Chingman-Roosa, co-chair of the Anishanabe Friendship Center, identified representation as a key issue facing Indigenous communities today.
"It's the recognition from our local, county, state, and even our federal governments. As we know, this was reclaimed as Columbus Day, which is unfortunate," Chingman-Roosa said.
Despite ongoing challenges, Gould emphasized his commitment to continuing the fight for Indigenous rights and spreading awareness about his community's issues.
"That's why our house leaders gave us this day to fight for our rights, to see that we keep what we have and not be taken away," Gould said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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