SWE encourages all Annual Conference facilitators to open all sessions with the following land acknowledgment:
We want to acknowledge that we gather at WE22 on the traditional lands of the Karankawa (keh-ruhn-kaa-wuh), Atakapa (ah-tah-kah-pah) and Akokisas (ako-ki-sa) peoples peoples, and honor with gratitude the land itself and the people who have stewarded it throughout the generations. We honor their elders, past and present, as well as future generations. This calls us to commit to continuing to learn how to be better stewards of the land we inhabit as well.
What is a land acknowledgment?
A land acknowledgment recognizes and respects Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of the land, and the relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories.
SWE is committed to a practice of land acknowledgments as a small step towards reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples. SWE intends that the use of this land acknowledgment statement encourages individuals to think about what it means to occupy space on Indigenous lands.
Importance of a virtual land acknowledgment:
SWE acknowledges the vast diverse community joining WE22. We encourage our WE22 speakers to include the land acknowledgment provided above in their recorded sessions.
Suggested Resources:
- A Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgement from the Native Governance Center
- Resources from the Native Governance Center
- Please visit https://native-land.ca/ to further learn about how to acknowledge the original nations on whose land we live, learn and work.
Thank you to the American Indian Center of Houston which was monumental in SWE’s development of this land acknowledgment.