October 11, 2021
Dear Reed Community,
Today, October 11 is Indigenous Peoples’ Day and National Coming Out Day. Indigenous Peoples’ Day is formally recognized in the United States and Oregon to honor and highlight the history and continued vitality of Indigenous people and culture in our nation and state. On this day, we acknowledge the invaluable contributions and resilience of Indigneous peoples and recognize their inherent sovereignty since time immemorial.
To our Indigenous community members: the work to advance Indigenous issues at Reed should seek your collaboration and center your voices. We welcome your input on how we can better support the Indigenous community at Reed. For students who are aiming for involvement and community around their Indigenous identity, the Multicultural Resource Center invites you to contact them. To the entire Reed community: as we reflect on the painful history and contemporary struggles that are acknowledged on this day, we hope that you find ways to foster accurate and complete narratives about the founding of this country. Please take time to learn more about Indigenous Peoples’ Day and consider connecting with our Portland local indigenous organizations, such as NAYA (Native American Youth and Family Center) and the Native Arts and Culture Foundation.
October 11 is also National Coming Out Day. The very first National Coming Out Day was 33 years ago, in 1988, and although the LGBTQ+ community is more visible now than ever, especially here at Reed, we acknowledge that many in the community still struggle with finding safety and acceptance. We encourage all Reedies to support one another, learn more about National Coming Out Day, and to engage with the Q Center in the Portland community.
As a reminder to faculty and staff, the Office for Institutional Diversity will be hosting a virtual workshop on supporting LGBTQ Students on Wednesday, October 20 from 11:30am-1:00pm. In this workshop, we will learn about the various intersectionalities of identity within the LGBTQ community and discuss strategies for supporting LGBTQ students. Please RSVP for this workshop to receive the zoom link.
For the entire month of October, we also want to recognize that it is Bullying Prevention Month, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the continuation of Latine/Hispanic Heritage Month. We encourage the Reed community to learn more by supporting the various events, local organizations, and community groups linked, as well as others unnamed but which we are hoping to get to know. If there is a day of recognition that we have missed, please let us know at institutional.diversity@reed. edu. We look forward to growing with you in cultural education initiatives and celebrations.
Thank you,
The Office for Institutional Diversity