Last week, the world celebrated Indigenous People’s Day. In 1994, the United Nations designated Aug. 9, as an annual commemoration of the world’s indigenous people as a way to heighten awareness about challenges faced by Native communities worldwide and to inspire global leaders to protect their rights.
More than 529,000 Americans have died since the pandemic began, and nearly 30 million have contracted the virus. “We all lost something,” the President declared. “A collective suffering, a collective sacrifice, a year filled with the loss of life. In the loss, we saw how much there was to gain. An appreciation, respect and gratitude,” he uttered. Within his first hours in office, President Biden launched a comprehensive strategy to defeat the pandemic. He noted that in the seven weeks since, the Administration has delivered more than 81 million vaccinations and more people can visit their loved ones again.