Oklahoma City declares Indigenous Peoples' Day at First Americans Museum
Tribal citizens from across Oklahoma traveled to the First Americans Museum to celebrate their heritage on Indigenous Peoples Day.
By Katie Hallum
The event featured food, festivities and an announcement from Osage citizen and Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt.
While no tribe is headquartered in Oklahoma City, the area has one of the highest concentrations of Indigenous people.
According to Holt, the proclamation is part of an effort to ensure the city’s place as a capital for preserving the heritage and culture of Oklahoma’s 39 tribal nations.
“We're sort of a neutral place where everybody can come together,” Holt said. “Our capital city, our largest city, certainly should speak to the Native experience when that is such an important part of not just our history–but our contemporary life.”
Holt was the first mayor to recognize the holiday officially in a proclamation in 2018.
Recently, many states and cities have switched from celebrating Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day. As of 2023, Oklahoma, which has the 2nd largest tribal population per capita in the United States, has not.
However, Holt said he believed the city should celebrate Indigenous peoples, not Christopher Columbus.
“I'm well aware that there is tension over this day or the particular choice of when it occurs. But you know, I always remind people, Christopher Columbus Day has never been recognized in the city of Oklahoma City,” Holt said. “I'm not taking anything away from anybody. It simply doesn't exist. And we are the capital city of a state with 39 tribal nations. This is our focus…our Indigenous people.”
ANNOUNCEMENT: U.S. Department of Energy Announces the Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Activities in Support of Commercial HALEU Production
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) evaluating the potential impacts of the Department’s Proposed Action to acquire, through procurement from commercial sources, high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) and to facilitate the establishment of commercial HALEU fuel production.
HALEU is a crucial material required by most U.S. advanced reactors to achieve smaller designs, longer operating cycles, and increased efficiencies over current nuclear energy technologies. HALEU is not currently available in sufficient amounts from domestic suppliers. The lack of an adequate domestic, commercial fuel supply could impede both reactor demonstrations and the development of future advanced reactor technologies.
The final EIS follows the Notice of Availability of the Draft HALEU EIS on March 8, 2024. DOE formally accepted comments on the draft through April 22, 2024, but accepted comments received beyond that date to the extent practicable. During the review and comment period, DOE held two virtual Tribal listening sessions, one in-person Tribal listening session, and three virtual public hearings. DOE received a total of 223 comment submissions on the draft EIS. Thirty-six of those comment submissions came from Tribes or Tribal members and the rest came from Federal and state agencies, industry, nonprofit organizations, and the public. In preparing the final HALEU EIS, DOE considered and responded to all comments. The responses can be found in Volume 3 of the final HALEU EIS.
The Final EIS is available on the project website at https://www.energy.gov/ne/haleu-environmental-impact-statement.
Requests for physical copies of the final HALEU EIS can be made through email to HALEU-EIS@nuclear.energy.gov or U.S. mail to, Mr. James Lovejoy, DOE EIS Document Manager, U.S. Department of Energy, Idaho Operations Office, 1955 Fremont Avenue, MS 1235, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83415.
DOE will issue a Record of Decision for the final HALEU EIS no sooner than 30 days after the publication of the Notice of Availability of the final HALEU EIS by the Environmental Protection Agency on October 18, 2024. The Record of Decision will be available in the Federal Register and on the project website.
Oklahoma State Department of Education marks 'Columbus Day' on social media
by Alexandra Sharfman
OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) posted on social media recognizing "Columbus Day".
The Biden Administration issued a proclamation in 2021 to recognize Oct. 14 as Indigenous Peoples' Day to celebrate the contributions and resilience of indigenous peoples and recognize their sovereignty.
In a post on Facebook, the OSDE said "Today we recognize the historic accomplishment of Christopher Columbus’s voyage that ultimately discovered the New World. Since then, generations of the poor and religiously persecuted from all corners of the globe followed his steps in hope of finding freedom, and of building a new, more hopeful and prosperous life."
In a separate post, the OSDE said, "Today, 39 native tribes that call Oklahoma home celebrate their heritage and we honor their contributions to our state’s rich and storied culture. As Oklahomans, we celebrate Indigenous people and here at OSDE, where approximately 158,000 native students are educated at Oklahoma Public Schools, we invest in our shared future every day."
Parkhill Expands Presence in Oklahoma With Acquisition of CHAHTA Architecture
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA—Parkhill, a leading architecture and engineering firm in the Southwest, is proud to announce its acquisition of CHAHTA Architecture, based in Oklahoma City. This acquisition aligns with Parkhill's goals to strengthen its presence in Oklahoma and to cultivate community growth through innovative design and collaboration.
“CHAHTA Architecture has long been dedicated to offering holistic architectural services that focus on creating spaces that serve both practical and cultural needs in multiple areas of Oklahoma, including in the K-12, healthcare, and municipal markets,” Parkhill’s Senior Vice President Scott Nelson said. “We are excited to bring their shared vision of building up local communities and providing sustainable solutions that will help us better serve more communities across Oklahoma.”
The staff of CHAHTA Architecture will be joining Parkhill’s Oklahoma City office and brings a combined 84 years of architectural design, program management, master planning, and contract administration experience. This skilled team has a rich portfolio of diverse projects, ranging from K-12 schools and higher education to healthcare, multifamily housing, and sports facilities. CHAHTA's focus on delivering sustainable, energy-efficient designs exceeds client expectations, which makes them a natural fit with Parkhill's mission, vision, and values.
“The CHAHTA staff is excited to make the transition to Parkhill,” said CHAHTA’s Principal Architect and Director of Design Gary Clark, NCARB, AIA. “We look forward to expanding the services we passionately provide to the Oklahoma Native American communities we've served for years, while also reaching and supporting many more communities as we continue to grow.”
CHAHTA Architecture has a proven track record of success with numerous community-enhancing projects that showcase their commitment to helping people. Some of their notable work includes the Chickasaw Children’s Village in Kingston, OK; The Jones Academy in Hartshorne, OK; and Atoka Head Start, in Atoka, OK.
ABOUT PARKHILL
Parkhill is an interdisciplinary firm offering comprehensive architecture and engineering services. With offices across the Southwest, Parkhill is dedicated to transforming spaces and improving the quality of life in the communities it serves. From civic to education and
healthcare projects, Parkhill’s team of professionals creates sustainable, forward-thinking solutions that make a difference. For more information, visit Parkhill.com
