Did you know European fishermen and traders were visiting the North American coast more than a century before the Pilgrims arrived? Some Indigenous communities even spoke English because of these early trade relationships. It’s one of those surprising details that flips the Thanksgiving story we learned in elementary school and invites us into a fuller, more honest understanding of the holiday. These kinds of insights shape the thanksgiving reflections we value at Bilingual Bridges.
At Bilingual Bridges, we see Thanksgiving as more than a day of food and family. It’s a moment to honor truth, celebrate linguistic and cultural diversity, and recognize the histories that shape the world our students and families navigate today. This year, we’re blending history, personal narrative, and global perspectives to share a thanksgiving reflection that feels real, inclusive, and deeply connected to who we are as an organization.
What Is the True History of Thanksgiving? Myths vs. Evidence
Myth: The Pilgrims were the first Europeans in America.
Reality: English and French fishing fleets had already been traveling and trading along the Atlantic coast for over 100 years. Through these interactions, some Indigenous communities learned English long before settlers arrived.
This section helps ground our thanksgiving reflections in accurate history, not myths. It reminds us that contact, exchange, and cultural complexity existed long before the simplified stories in textbooks.
Language Diversity in the Americas
Before English dominated the region, North America held one of the greatest concentrations of linguistic diversity in the world.
1500s: Nearly 700 Indigenous languages
1620: Around 300 languages
2020: Fewer than 175 languages
By 2050: Only 20 may survive without revitalization
These losses reflect long-standing pressure on Indigenous communities to abandon their languages and identities. Understanding this shift is essential to meaningful Thanksgiving reflections about identity and belonging.
The Legacy of Language Suppression
For decades, Indigenous children were forced into English-only boarding schools where speaking their mother tongue meant punishment. This harm didn’t end centuries ago — its echoes are painfully recent.
My own family carries that history. When my mother arrived in the U.S. from Mexico in the 1950s, she was punished at school for speaking Spanish, even during recess. The message was unmistakable: English was accepted; Spanish was not.
These experiences shaped her confidence and our family’s relationship with language. This is why, at Bilingual Bridges, we work to create learning spaces where children feel proud of their home languages and confident in who they are. Language is identity — and every child deserves to keep theirs.
To learn more about our multilingual education services, visit us at Bilingual Bridges
Global Gratitude From Four Continents
At Bilingual Bridges, our team spans four continents — and with that comes a beautiful mix of languages, traditions, and gratitude practices. Although expressions of gratitude may differ, the heart behind them is universal. Here’s a closer look at how families around the world celebrate thankfulness, connection, and heritage:
Asia
In many parts of Asia, gratitude is tied closely to family, harvest, and tradition.
China’s Mid-Autumn Festival centers on reunion. Families share mooncakes, light lanterns, and spend the evening under the full harvest moon — a symbol of unity, peace, and seasonal blessings. Gratitude is expressed through presence: sitting together, sharing food, and honoring generations before and after.
Across the region, festivals like Korea’s Chuseok celebrate both harvest and ancestry through shared meals, family gatherings, and rituals that honor past generations.
Africa
Across Africa, gratitude is dynamic, communal, and expressed through rhythm and connection.
In Ghana, celebrations such as Homowo and the Yam Festival unite communities through drumming, dancing, traditional clothing, and libations poured to honor ancestors. Gratitude becomes a celebration of abundance and a recognition of those — past and present — who make that abundance possible.
Many regions close the harvest season with storytelling around fires, shared meals, and blessings that honor community resilience.
Europe
Across Europe, gratitude traditions revolve around seasonal foods and community gatherings.
In rural France, autumn brings banquets de village: long tables filled with foraged mushrooms, fresh bread, roasted meats, and elderberry desserts. Gratitude is woven through conversation, shared meals, and appreciation for the land.
In countries like Italy and Spain, families mark the season with local harvest foods, outdoor celebrations, and moments of reflection shared between generations.
Latin America
In Latin America, gratitude blends cultural heritage, family traditions, and intergenerational storytelling.
In Mexico, Thanksgiving often merges U.S. customs with Mexican dishes such as tamales, pozole, atole, and pan dulce. Families express gratitude not only for their blessings but also for their ancestors, often including prayers or offerings on the family altar.
Across Central and South America, gratitude is expressed through shared meals and foods tied to regional history — from plantains and arroz con coco in the Caribbean to roasted meats and seasonal desserts in the Andes.
Across all these cultures, one message remains: gratitude is universal, and each community has its own beautiful way of expressing it. These global practices encourage deeper thanksgiving reflections about family, culture, and shared humanity.
How You Can Support Language Revitalization and Why It Matters
Thanksgiving is also a time to reflect on the voices and languages that deserve protection. Without action, only 20 Indigenous languages may survive in the U.S. by 2050. Supporting language preservation doesn’t require a formal pledge — it begins with awareness and simple, intentional choices.
Here are meaningful ways to help:
Support credible programs like the Endangered Language Fund
Include Indigenous authors, stories, and languages in your home or classroom library
Learn a gratitude word in an Indigenous language, such as “Wado” (Cherokee for “thank you”), and share its meaning
Talk with your children about the importance of linguistic diversity
Follow Indigenous educators and advocates to amplify their work
When families intentionally uplift languages, revitalization becomes a shared commitment.
A Season for Truth, Language & Connection
This Thanksgiving 2025, may your table be full — not only with turkey and pie, but also with truth, heartfelt Thanksgiving reflections, and gratitude expressed in every language you speak. Let’s honor the histories that brought us here. Let’s uplift the languages that shape our identities. And let’s continue building a world where every child feels seen, valued, and celebrated.
From our Bilingual Bridges family to yours,
Happy Thanksgiving — in every language.
– Written by Gail Encerrado – Bilingual Teacher at Bilingual Bridges
– Updated by Ibeth Munoz – Curriculum and Instruction Specialist at Bilingual Bridges
