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Graduation is a time of celebration and community. After centuries of attempted genocide and erasure of Indigenous culture and tradition, the ability to celebrate commencement in a culturally appropriate way is deeply important for Indigenous students. Tribal regalia worn at commencement are a symbol of resistance, resilience, and reclamation by students of their right to an education that honors their culture and heritage. But for some Indigenous students, graduation can be fraught with uncertainty or controversy over their ability to wear tribal regalia during commencement ceremonies. Some schools still prohibit Indigenous students from wearing items at graduation, claiming that it would violate the school’s dress code and speculating, without any basis, that it would disrupt the ceremony.

In 2023, more than 100 classroom censorship bills aimed at restricting students and teachers from discussing race, gender, or sexual orientation were introduced in states across the country. Thirty-two bills became law. The year prior, the country saw the highest number of attempted book bans in 20 years with more than 1,000 demands to censor library books and resources, many of which targeted titles by or about Black and LGBTQ people. The ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ¿ª½±½á¹û has challenged classroom censorship laws and book bans across the country. Today, we’re expanding on that work by pushing back against attempts to restrict diversity, equity and inclusion programs. We won’t stand for the erasure of marginalized communities in our schools.

For over 100 years, the ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ¿ª½±½á¹û has been showing up in the courts, in the streets, and in the halls of power to defend the rights that the Constitution guarantees to everyone. In the past year alone, the ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ¿ª½±½á¹û community fought to secure abortion rights in Michigan, defended trans youth from political attacks in Arkansas and Texas, and blocked Florida from censoring lessons about race and gender in college classrooms. With the support of our members, supporters, volunteers, and staff, we will keep showing up whenever civil rights and civil liberties are under attack.