The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) sent out a memo, exclusively obtained by The Daily Wire, warning against the “colonial settler mythological” presentation of Thanksgiving and urging staff members to instead reflect on the plight of Native Americans and celebrate “Truthsgiving.”
The statement, sent out today and written by the director of the DHS Office of Indian Policy Angie DeLille, encourages staff to reconsider their usual Thanksgiving celebration and allocate money to “indigenous-owned businesses.”
“As we approach this holiday, it’s an important time to reflect on the historical truths surrounding this holiday, particularly the impact it has had on Tribal and urban American Indian communities in Minnesota,” reads the opening of the memo, titled “Thanksgiving offers opportunity for gratitude — and learning.”
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“While ‘Thanksgiving’ is often framed in its colonial settler mythological form, as a celebration of harmony and gratitude, it’s also important to acknowledge its deeper history – one that involves the displacement, violence, and enduring struggles that Tribal and native communities still face today,” it went on to read.
Obtained by The Daily Wire
DeLille, a social worker, has “an interest in improving cultural competency in the social work profession” and leads the state’s Office of Indian Policy, which is tasked with assisting with “the delivery of services to American Indians living both on and off the reservation.”
Her memo goes on to propose an alternative to traditional Thanksgiving celebrations, noting that “my family has even started calling the holiday Truthsgiving!” before suggesting some ways that DHS staff can celebrate “truthsgiving.”
“You can incorporate some action steps as a family of things you will do this year to positively impact native communities, you can commit to learning more about Native communities in Minnesota as a family, the possibilities are endless,” DeLille’s memo reads. “You can also honor native people in other ways over the weekend, such as supporting indigenous-owned businesses on Black Friday.”
A representative of the Minnesota DHS confirmed the authenticity of the memo to The Daily Wire, explaining that it was “posted on our intranet site, which we use regularly to share news and updates for staff.”
The memo is the latest attempt to deconstruct Thanksgiving by labeling it a celebration of oppression, all while attempting to replace it with an alternative holiday.
In the Los Angeles Unified School District, for example, one lesson prepared by the Office of Human Relations, Diversity & Equity in 2021 taught that Thanksgiving was a celebration of violence against American Indians. One video featured in the lesson plan taught that the “true story of Thanksgiving” is that “after every killing of a whole village, these European settlers celebrated it and then called it Thanksgiving.”
The lesson plan also posited that instead of Thanksgiving, Americans should recognize a “national day of mourning.”