One of the leaders of the 2008 rally, Reiko Koyama ’11, gave a speech introducing her idea to organize the rally, explaining the historical inaccuracy and injustice of celebrating Columbus Day. She states, “We as Americans all have the right to an accurately portrayed history that encompasses all perspectives.”[1] At the rally, speeches such as Koyama’s marked the opening of a space for dialogue at Brown to provide retribution for Native peoples silenced by Columbus Day.
[1] Reiko Koyama, “Reiko’s Columbus Day Speech” (program speech notes, Brown University, 2008).