I acknowledge that we’re meeting on various stolen Lands that are sacred to several Indigenous Peoples. I thank the Indigenous Peoples for stewarding these Lands for generations. I pay respect to the Elders, past, present, and future. I acknowledge that as a settler, I occupy and participate in exploitation of land that are not mine. I advocate for Land Back and Indigenous sovereignty. With reverence and gratitude, I invite us to meet with the intention to learn, heal, and change, and decolonize our ways of being, and to dismantle colonial systems. May we, as a community, consider our toles in the liberations, and restoration of Land, language, and culture for all Indigenous Peoples and forcefully displaced communities. I pay respect to our ancestors that guide us as we reflect on our responsibilities and impact on this and future generations.
My office is located on the land of: Tongva, Acjachmen (Juaneño), Kizh
“Decolonization brings about the re[m]atriation of Indigenous land and life.”
-Tuck & Yung, Decolonization is not a metaphor
"We don't inherent the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
-Indigenous Proverb
Land Back may look like:
•Get to know and connect with local Indigenous communities
•Pay voluntary land taxes: nativegov.org/voluntary-land-taxes
•Restoring land stewardship to Indigenous People, “Give the Land back. All of it” –Cutcha Risling Baldy
•Begin by understanding government & private land ownership. Connect with Landback movements
•Honoring land treaties. Learn about treaties, unceded land, traditional territory, and land claims (See: Indigenous Canada)
•Support Indigenous sovereignty, uplift Indigenous voices and values in current political systems (Indigenoustiktok)
•Protect & restore health of Land, Water, Air, and all life on Land
•Resist climate change & capitalistic Land exploitation
•Supporting efforts to protect sacred sites & rematriation of cultural valuables
•Support Indigenous mutual aid efforts
(words by InclusiveTherapists)
