“Every community owes its existence and vitality to generations from around the world who contributed their hopes, dreams, and energy to making the history that led to this moment. Some were brought here against their will, some were drawn to leave their distant homes in hope of a better life, and some have lived on this land for more generations than can be counted. Truth and acknowledgment are critical to building mutual respect and connection across all barriers of heritage and difference. We begin this effort to acknowledge what has been buried by honoring the truth. We are on the ancestral lands of the Isleta, Sandia, and Laguna Pueblo. We pay respect to their elders past and present.”

Written with guidance by the Native Governance Center

If you want to sincerely acknowledge the land, go to it. Put your hands into it. Put your feet in it. The soil is alive. The microscopic communities in it remember everyone who lived here; they shaped one another. Go to the forest, or to a prairie or a creek. We’re lucky to have little green places and public spaces. This is where you acknowledge the land— away from walls and doors and lawns. by Summer Wilkie