BOSTON - The second Monday in October is recognized as Columbus Day in Massachusetts, but a new bill would change the holiday to be named Indigenous Peoples Day to celebrate those who Christopher Columbus forced out when he arrived in North America.

State Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, introduced the bill and is passionate about making the designation.

“It's important to me first and foremost because indigenous people tell me, my constituents tell me it's important and my job is to listen to them,” Comerford said. “If I’m honest and take a step back, I’m a mom and I have two kids in public schools and I want them to learn an accurate history, and the ways in which we have memorialized the ways in which we have memorialized Christopher Columbus as the one who has discovered the Americas is just not accurate. There were people already here.”

Testimony was heard on Tuesday by the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.

Pamela Anikali Rosario Perez requested to testify in front of the committee. She identifies as both Native American and African Indigenous and feels very strongly about celebrating indigenous people.

“To have a conversation about the importance of Indigenous Peoples Day, just the beauty of our people, and celebrate who we are in this sort of public setting means a lot,” Rosario Perez said.

For some, it seems wrong to celebrate a man who inflicted so much harm onto Native Americans though colonization, but to celebrate the culture that was taken.

“Unless we take the opportunity to look at history, and really look at history, we will never be able to tackle the things we face today,” Comerford said.

Those who oppose the bill say Christopher Columbus is an important figure to Italian Americans. The opposition says indigenous people deserve a holiday, but it should just be in addition to, not replacing, Columbus Day.