Paid Holidays for Small Businesses: Indigenous Peoples Day 2024
I like to work hard and play hard. Working hard means: when I’m in work mode, I’m 100% (+) focused. I’m ruthless with my time, quality of connections, and excellence in my work. So, in turn, when I am off, I am O-F-F and unapologetic about it. To work at this intensity requries serious, proactive rest and recovery. All that to say: I’m generous to myself and others with our time off. We have 12 paid holidays on our calendar, in addition to 5 weeks of paid leave. And one of these is tomorrow: Indigenous Peoples Day.
Over the years, I’ve grappled with giving time off for Juneteenth and MLK Day. For myself and our team, I want to give off as much time as possible. Yet: I don’t want to take advantage of “using” these holidays, without recognizing their meaning. And this year, I asked myself the same question about Columbus Day Indigenous Peoples Day.
So this year, I decided to give our team off, as we usually do; yet ask everyone to exercise our value of diversity and inclusion, by choosing one of these options (or something of their choosing), to give homage to Indigenous Peoples…
1. Find out whose native land you occupy.
A few weeks ago I attended the Social Venture Institute retreat on Cortes Island in British Columbia. I didn’t quite know what I was getting into (on many levels, ha) – one of which was being indoctrinated into lots of new-to-me education about the First Nations.
Compared to the places I’ve lived and worked, Canada seems to be light years ahead. Generally, I consider myself culturally education. But during my few days in British Columbia, I heard brand new perspectives and vocabulary. To prepare our personal bios, they asked us whose “land” we come from. Admittedly, I didn’t even know what this meant.
To find out where you are, simply Google “What native land is [inset city] on?”
If you’re in Nashville, here’s your answer: Nashville, Tennessee is on the ancestral lands of the Cherokee, Shawnee, Coctaw, Chicksaw, and Creek peoples.
2. Watch (an Accurate) Movie
Here’s one thing Dave & I will get up to this weekend: learning through media. Killers of the Flower Moon will capture you from an entertainment perspective, while sharing some hard truths in its story. Here are 4 other movies too, if you’d like to expand your education-through-media.
3. Purchase a little something (holiday shopping?) from Ravensong Soap & Candle.
When I was on said retreat, I served as an advisor for a case study of Ravensoap, owned by 30 year-old indigenous entreprenur Ali Assu. She is heart-led, fearless in her pursuits, and one of the quickest studies I’ve come across.
And when it comes to minority-owned businesses, the most helpful thing we can do is: BUY FROM THEM.
So personally, I went on a little shopping spree, scooping up these soaps for friends and my fairy goddaughters, scattered around the country. It was a fun, impromptu way to connect with them, sending a little surprise snail mail, supporting a minority owned business, and having an excuse to talk about Indigenous Peoples Day 2024.
I’m so curious: what’s your POV on holidays, honoring minorities? Any new ideas or perspectives to add to my education and practicing?
