Scoop: Philly lawmaker ditches push for joint Columbus and Indigenous Peoples' Day

• It comes as many social justice and equity initiatives championed during the pandemic are abandoned across the country, including in Philly.

Catch up quick: A Commonwealth Court judge in August struck down former Mayor Jim Kenney's 2021 executive order to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day following a legal challenge from a group of Italian American organizations.

• The judge ruled that by acting unilaterally, the mayor had overstepped his powers and engaged in "lawmaking" reserved for City Council.
• The city is "exploring its options" after the court declined to reconsider its decision, city law department spokesperson Ava Schwemler tells Axios.

The latest: Ahmad sought to introduce a bill at a September meeting that would've codified both holidays, so that City Council would no longer need to pass "one-off proclamations" like it's done in the past, per an explainer the lawmaker circulated about the ordinance.

• "This locks the holiday in place," Ahmad's office wrote.
• The proposal would've also encouraged city events to include a land acknowledgment honoring "the Lenni-Lenape and other Tribal Nations tied to this land," per a copy obtained by Axios.

Yes, but: The plan was quickly shelved, according to correspondence obtained by Axios.

• While Ahmad still believes it's "imperative for City Council to take a clear and thoughtful stance" on the issue, her legislative director, Julian Sham, told councilmembers in an email that Ahmad decided to hold off to do more outreach.
• The city's response had to be "informed by inclusive and representative dialogue," Sham wrote.

What they're saying: Ahmad is having ongoing "conversations" with constituents about the bill, which could possibly be revived this year, Ahmad's spokesperson Onyx Finney tells Axios.

Between the lines: The bill would've required a lengthy legislative process and the mayor's sign-off to become law, political analyst Jay McCalla tells Axios.

• It's unclear whether it would receive majority support from Ahmad's colleagues. And McCalla suggested the city's demographics may have played into the political calculus — Philly has far more Italian Americans than Native Americans.

The other side: Basil Russo, president of the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian Organizations, tells Axios his organization — one of the groups that challenged Kenney's order — would "absolutely" intervene if Ahmad revives her proposal.

• The conference supports a separate holiday to celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day so it doesn't clash with Columbus Day.
• Russo says his group felt "disrespected" by the former mayor's push to do away with Columbus Day "to appease another group."

The intrigue: Councilmember Mark Squilla, who joined the organization in suing the city over Kenney's order, tells Axios he would've "100%" supported Ahmad's bill.

What we're watching: Indigenous Peoples' Day Philly executive director Mabel Negrete tells Axios her group will launch an advocacy campaign on Monday to press City Council to reinstate Indigenous Peoples' Day.

• The group has called the court's decision a "deeply troubling setback for cultural recognition."