Indigenous Roots

The West Irondequoit CSD held a Haudenosaunee Flag Raising ceremony on May 12, 2022 on the Irondequoit High School Stadium turf before the boys varsity lacrosse game. Members of our Indigenous People’s Sub-Committee – a branch of the district's DEI Coalition – and Superintendent Aaron Johnson were on hand and spoke. Mr. Ron Garrow, an Akwesasne Mohawk and Director of the Indigenous Peoples Center, also spoke. His children have attended West Irondequoit schools. About two years ago, he was the spark that lit the flame to raise a flag. The video can be viewed here.

A Community Connections virtual Town Hall/panel discussion on Irondequoit’s Indigenous heritage took place on May 24, 2022. These two events were the next steps in our district’s efforts to honor Irondequoit’s history. The video can be viewed here.

The district has found new ways to honor Irondequoit's heritage through classroom learning, a Land Acknowledgement and a
 special publication, “Honoring Irondequoit’s Indigenous Roots,” that you can read at THIS LINK. 

The special publication includes information on: 

  • The district’s 2002 nickname/mascot change 
  • WICSD’s Land Acknowledgement in 2020 
  • Significance of the Haudenosaunee flag 
  • How to combat Native American “invisibility” 

The subcommittee’s Mission Statement explains our “Why”: 

The Indigenous Peoples’ DEI Subcommittee is committed to building a strong partnership approach across our community to ensure that Indigenous voices, heritages, and histories are accurately taught, honored, and woven into our district culture.

 

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