Fort Lewis College students want to remind Durango of the persistent effects of colonization.
The Durango Decolonization March and Roll on Saturday aims to help attendees realize that many indigenous people had their culture taken away, and the erosion of that culture doesn’t have to continue.
“We want people to acknowledge the fact that it was here, and it can be reintroduced,” said Tatianna Yepa, a FLC sociology major and an event organizer.
The students also want to end stereotypes about Native Americans and help people understand many of them are connected to their heritage and modern life. But it is hard to live in both worlds.
In a decolonized world, parents would teach their children their native language and about growing their food, said Yepa.
She is hopeful that older people will participate in the march so they can see students getting involved.
“Younger generations still care about where they came from,” she said.
The event was inspired by the Slut and Hoe Walk and Roll, held in December to end objectification and sexism, said Iris Melendez, another event organizer.
Like the previous walk, this march is being organized through a sociology class, but it also has a long list of sponsors, including Sociology Club, Black Student Union and El Centro de Muchos Colores, a group focused on Hispanic students and culture.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
If you go
The Durango Decolonization March and Roll from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday is open to the public. It starts at Fanto Park at East Seventh Avenue and east Fourth Street. It will finish at Rim Drive and East Eighth Avenue.
