Each year on Thanksgiving, the Indigenous Peoples Sunrise Ceremony, aka #unthanksgiving, takes place on Alcatraz. I sketched this image while thinking about the 1969 occupation of Alcatraz by the Indians of All Tribes, who wanted to build a community, spiritual, and ecological centre on Alcatraz, for and overseen by Native people. They occupied Alcatraz for 19 months - which at the time was unused surplus land. For a while, hundreds of people lived on the island. Although the government denied the occupiers’ proposal, their protest contributed to the end of the harmful termination laws and inspired further protests across the Americas.

For many people, Thanksgiving is a reminder of genocide of their peoples, theft of their lands and assault upon their culture. That’s a matter directly related to health promotion, which according to the World Health Organization is all about increasing people’s control over their health and determinants of their health.

Graphite on 9x12 Inch paper, in 11x14 wood frame with glass.