?? Land Acknowledgment - To Do or Not To Do? ??
We are fortunate to work with clients who advocate for equity and justice in all areas of their work, so we get asked a lot if their event should include a land acknowledgment. There is A LOT that goes into a land acknowledgment, but here are 3 tips to use as a starting point.
01. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS
You gotta walk the talk. If your organization partners with Native or Indigenous communities, then by all means, YES! An acknowledgment is one of many ways you can create awareness about the local tribes in your area. If your mission or services don’t intentionally partner with Indigenous communities, focus on building those relationships first, and then revisit how to add this to your program. Otherwise, it won’t be honorable or authentic. (Oh, and please don’t ask your Indigenous partners to write a land acknowledgment for you!).
02. DO YOUR RESEARCH
Respectful land acknowledgments use the correct tribe names AND pronunciation. Remember that part of the goal is to create awareness—so you want to get the names right. One of our favorite tools for researching tribes is native-land.ca, but you can also find local resources to help you out. We recommend acknowledging tribes from where your event is happening—however, sometimes organizations serving a bigger region, such as multiple counties, will include the original tribes of all those counties.
03. OFFER A CALL-TO-ACTION
Step one: create awareness. Step two: take action! Invite your guests to support Indigenous-serving organizations, including the ones you are already partnered with. Encourage them to donate, volunteer, and foster community connections and support.
? Got more ideas or tips for how to best acknowledge and honor Indigenous communities? Let us know in the comments! ?
#LandAcknowledgment #IndigenousHistory #PortlandOR #RespectTheLand
