The West Irondequoit CSD held a Haudenosaunee Flag Raising ceremony on Thursday evening 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 district has since found new ways to honor Irondequoit's heritage through classroom learning, a Land Acknowledgement and a new special publication, “Honoring Irondequoit’s Indigenous Roots” available via this link: bit.ly/HIIR_2022. It will be mailed to residents later this month. A Community Connections virtual Town Hall/panel discussion is also scheduled for 7 PM on 5/24. 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”