Houston City Council members sparred at their Sept. 30 meeting over whether to recognize the second Monday of October as “Indigenous Peoples Day.” Several indigenous activists spoke during the public comment session the day before council’s vote.

“This will allow citizens to finally recognize our rich heritage and represent a huge step of healing and growth between people who are descendants of Native American ancestry,” said Bianca Rivera, a Houston resident and Native American activist. Council members voted 14-2 to support the measure, which does not make the day a city holiday but recognizes it on the same day as the federally recognized Columbus Day.