Across the South Plains, traces of Indigenous history remain — in the stories families pass down and in the land that once sustained entire nations. For many Native people in West Texas, those traces are more than memory. They’re reminders of a presence that endures.
For Cyndi Slaughter, founder of Native American People of the Plains and Beyond, those stories are the heart of her work. Her nonprofit’s mission is to educate and unite communities through recognition and cultural exchange — work she says is long overdue.
Texas officially recognized the second Monday in October — a day that’s been celebrated as Columbus Day in America for almost a century — as Indigenous Peoples Day in 2021. Another thing Cyndi says was overdue, but something she’s still grateful for…