The Interior Department has renamed approx 650 entities on federal lands that contain a term that is deemed 'offensive ethnic, racial and sexist slur, particularly for Indigenous women,' according to a statement from the department. The term, 'sq**w,' stems from the Algonquian language and was used to reference a young woman. As time went on, the word was more frequently used to degrade Indigenous women. 'I feel a deep obligation to use my platform to ensure that our public lands and waters are accessible and welcoming. That starts with removing racist and derogatory names that have graced federal locations for far too long,' Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement. 'Together, we’re showing why representation matters and charting a path for an inclusive America.' Efforts to rename hundreds of valleys, streams, reservoirs, and other areas that contain the word in their names have been a decades-long effort by many Native American groups. Recently, those calls have gained momentum, especially after Haaland’s confirmation as the first Indigenous Cabinet member in U.S. history last year. #debhaaland #indigenouscommunity #racism #racialslurs #politics