DURANGO, Colo.— About 100 people gathered around the Fort Lewis College Clocktower bowing their heads as Southern Ute Elders Elberta Thompson and Nathan Strong Elk take turns blessing attendees ahead of this year’s Solidarity Walk.
Strong Elk followed the blessings with a smudging ceremony, using traditional medicinal plants to cleanse those attending. The ceremony marked the beginning of a day celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day, which also included cooking demonstrations and a beading workshop.
“We’d like for this day to eventually blossom into a whole day-long festival, a celebration,” said
Brittany Bittsilly, president of the student association, Associated Students of Fort Lewis College (ASFLC) and one of the event organizers. “That's the sentiment that we wanted to give this year with the addition of the cultural food demonstration and then another beading workshop.”
In an email to campus, Vice President for Diversity Affairs Heather Shotton said, “The day seeks to honor the invaluable contributions of Indigenous Peoples to the shaping of the Americas, as well as the sovereignty of all Tribal Nations that continue to thrive today.”
“As a Native American Non-Tribal Serving Institution, we celebrate the immense knowledge, diverse cultures, and contributions of our Indigenous students, faculty, and staff and the 120+ Tribal Nations represented at Fort Lewis College,” Shotton added. 
“We recognize our responsibilities to our Indigenous community and the Tribal Nations upon whose ancestral land our institution is situated. As our college continues to focus on our commitment to reconciliation at Fort Lewis College, I encourage you all to reflect on the importance of healing our past and shaping thriving futures for Indigenous communities.”
After the walk, which ended by the teepee on Rim Drive, Bitsilly invited community members to share their thoughts with fellow attendees.
One said it was important to remember the past of the college and the importance of those currently studying in the institution.
“We had grandmas and grandpas that went (to boarding schools). They went through a lot for us to be here.”
During the walk, Joslynn Lee, Ph.D., assistant professor of Biochemistry, held a sign quoting Indigenous educator and author Anton Treuer: “Every native student who graduates is a victory over Andrew Jackson.”
As she addressed the crowd, she said it’s important to acknowledge the past of the land where the institution is situated and the importance of students having the opportunity to be in nature and outside the institution as well. She also had a message for students.
“We're at midterm, so hopefully you're all hanging in there and taking this day to get to rest for yourself, but also think about the end goal and that all your faculty care about you. We hope that you know that,” she said.
Shotton said Indigenous Peoples’ Day was first proposed in 1977 at the United Nations International Conference on Discrimination against Indigenous Populations in the Americas.
While several states and cities across the United States honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day, it is not yet recognized as a federal holiday.