indigenous peoples day

What to Know About Indigenous Peoples' Day in Los Angeles

The second Monday in October is Indigenous Peoples Day in Los Angeles.

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Los Angeles will observe Indigenous Peoples' Day Monday with a celebration at Grand Park and the lighting of City Hall.

The events at the park in downtown Los Angeles will feature Indigenous performers, blessings, speakers, entertainment and food and the lighting of City Hall in turquoise.

Here's what to know about Indigenous Peoples' Day in Los Angeles.

When is Indigenous Peoples Day in Los Angeles?

A 2017 ordinance declared the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples' Day in Los Angeles. It replaces Columbus Day as a holiday on the city calendar.

Los Angeles County also created an Indigenous Peoples' Day holiday in place of Columbus Day.

The Grand Park celebration is scheduled for 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

City Hall will be lit in the color of turquoise Monday night.

What is Indigenous Peoples Day?

Indigenous Peoples' Day is about acknowledging indigenous peoples' history in the United States and celebrating the culture and heritage of native communities.

Los Angeles City Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell, a member of the Wyandotte Nation, authored the 2017 ordinance. At the time is was approved by the council, Los Angeles was the largest city in the United States to take such action, O'Farrell said.

"As a citizen of the Wyandotte Nation and the first Native American on the Los Angeles City Council, one of my sacred duties as an elected official has been to increase the visibility, dignity and representation of Native Americans and indigenous people," O'Farrell told City News Service. "Los Angeles is built on indigenous land. The Civic Center itself stands where a Tongva village once stood. Replacing a day honoring a person who never even set foot in the United States -- and whose arrival in the Americas served as the catalyst for centuries of genocide against Native Americans -- with a day honoring First Nations and indigenous people -- was an importantstep for Los Angeles to take."

The 2017 ordinance also led to the 2018 removal of the Christopher Columbus statue from Grand Park and O'Farrell's 2021 introduction of the Indigenous LAnd Initiative, a series of policies including a formal apology from the city to Native American tribes for instances of violence, mistreatment and neglect committed by the city or that the city was associated with.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day became a state-recognized holiday in 2019, when Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation.

In 2021, President Joe Biden issued the first-ever presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples' Day. The day is observed alongside Columbus Day, which was established by Congress.

What's closed on Indigenous Peoples Day in Los Angeles?

City and county offices will be closed Monday, including libraries. Los Angeles County courts will be open. They were closed Sept. 23 for Native American Day.

Los Angeles Unified School District schools will be open. Metro buses and trains will run on a regular schedule, along with Metrolink trains.

Columbus Day remains a federal holiday. There will be no U.S. Mail delivery and federal courts will be closed. Many banks are also expected to be closed.

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