Today marks the beginning of the monthlong celebration of National Native American Heritage Month, also referred to as American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. What started as a day of recognition and celebration with the name American Indian Day—established in 1900 by Dr. Arthur Caswell Parker, a Seneca and founder of the National Congress of American Indians—was expanded and renamed National American Indian Heritage Month in 1990. Today, Native American History Month is celebrated to honor the significant contributions of the first Americans and the cultures, traditions, and histories of Native people.

At ULI, we acknowledge the history of the systematic displacement, removal, and exclusion of Native Americans in the United States who have historically been dispossessed of their ancestral lands. We continue to believe that current and future industry actions can—and must—remedy the impact of exclusionary practices in the commercial real estate industry, thereby creating access and fostering unity. We will continue to create programs that facilitate dialogue about the issues of race and equity, and that lead to tangible change.

ULI is committed to pursuing unrelenting efforts to shape the built environment toward diverse, equitable, and inclusive communities.

We encourage you to learn about the history and culture of Native Americans in the United States through these resources:

• nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov
• U.S. Department of the Interior

We urge Institute members to celebrate Native American Heritage Month and follow along with us across our platforms for more related content and education in the coming weeks. For additional information about ULI Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, contact [email protected].

Sincerely,

Gwyneth Jones Coté
President, Americas

Sonia Huntley
Senior Vice President
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion