In recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Recognizing Indigenous Rights and Sovereignty by The IPE TIG Leadership

Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day!

Indigenous Peoples’ Day occurs on the second Monday of October in the United States and recognizes the resilience of Indigenous peoples and the fact that Indigenous peoples still exist and to make space and honor the contributions that Indigenous peoples have made and continue to make. Other settler colonial states, e.g. Canada, Brazil, Australia, and Aoteroa (New Zealand), have made their own national holidays celebrating Indigenous peoples or celebrate on August 9^th, International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. In the United States, Indigenous Peoples’ Day has been adopted by many states, and is now federally observed.

Additionally, Indigenous Peoples day is a time to consider ways in which the rights of Indigenous Peoples can be further enhanced. In this case, we are asking those involved in the Evaluation field to consider what the incorporation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) might look like in the field of evaluation and at the American Evaluation Association.

In recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day, the IPE TIG Leadership wanted to share the work of our brothers and sisters in the Canadian Evaluation Society (CES). In 2016, CES released its Commitment to Reconciliation, based on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. This Commitment included resolutions put forward by CES’ Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Environmental Sustainability Committee, which were adopted by the CES Board of Directors, as CES’ commitment “to incorporating reconciliation in its values, principles, and practices.”

We ask ourselves as well as others to consider what UNDRIP and a similar intention of Commitments might look like in the field of evaluation here in the United States as well as within the AEA itself. What ideas do you have and where can we go from here to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion around the rights of Indigenous People specifically in our field of evaluation?

Guna?chéesh (Thank you in Tlingit) and have a wonderful AEA Conference.

IPE TIG Leadership

Rad Resources

For Rad Resources related to these considerations and Indigenous Evaluation, please visit the IPE TIG’s Resources Webpage.

To learn more about Truth and Reconciliation, please visit CES’ Truth and Reconciliation for Evaluators course.

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