On Friday, President Joe Biden delivered a formal apology at the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona, acknowledging the painful legacy of the federal Indian boarding school system, which forcibly removed Indigenous children from their families for over 150 years.

At the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), we have supported our Office of Tribal Affairs in their important work to honor and remember those children, as well as the survivors of this era. The observance of Orange Shirt Day has emerged as a vital initiative, fostering conversations centered on truth, honesty, and reconciliation regarding the profound impacts of this history on our Native employees and Tribal partners throughout Oregon.

I am deeply grateful for the discussions we have been having as this formal apology from President Biden is made. I can only begin to comprehend the significance of this moment for the Nine Tribes of Oregon, our Tribal employees, and the families and survivors across our state.

This apology is a direct result of the diligent efforts of Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (Pueblo of Laguna), who initiated an investigation into the boarding school system shortly after becoming the first Native American to lead the agency. Her investigation revealed that at least 18,000 children, some as young as four, were taken from their families and forced into schools designed to assimilate them, all while federal and state authorities sought to dispossess Tribal nations of their land.

In Oregon, we have felt the impact of this legacy as we strive to build respectful government-to-government relationships with the Nine Tribes, uphold the Indian Child Welfare Act, and humbly acknowledge our state’s past. Our commitment to reconciliation is focused on fostering a future that honors Tribal sovereignty.

ODHS remains dedicated to supporting all Oregon Tribal communities in achieving holistic well-being—mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. It is important to acknowledge that no apology can make up for what was lost and the ongoing trauma that was caused in Tribal communities. However, this formal apology, alongside our ongoing efforts to promote healing, will enhance our understanding of the history of our Tribal partners and help us approach our shared future with honesty and integrity.