Land Acknowledgement

Throughout my life I have lived on the traditional homelands of the Alaskan Native people, the tribes of Northern California, Southwestern tribes, and currently, the homeland of the Puyallup and Coast Salish tribes of Washington State and the Athabascans and Inupiat people’s lands in Alaska. Each one of these tribes and communities have lived on and stewarded these lands since time immemorial and continue to do so today. Each one of these tribes and communities have also experienced genocide, forced removal, and had their land stolen. Additionally, it is important to recognize that my ownership of land has meant that I have benefited from this history - their stewardship of the land, the genocide, and forced removal.

Like other indigenous people, the Puyallup, Athabascans, Inupiat and Coast Salish people are alive and strong, engaged in their communities and the land, and are not just in history books.

I recognize that this land acknowledgment is only one small step toward true allyship, and I am committed to standing with the Puyallup, Athabascans and Inupiat people as well as other indigenous groups to protect their land and culture and to actively work to make sure their voices, experiences, knowledge, and histories are heard and respected.

For me, part of respecting and honoring indigenous people is also recognizing that we all have a responsibility and relationship to this land and this earth. As such, part of my commitment is to learn to become a better caretaker and steward of the land I engage with, such as planting native plants and learning other ways to actively and respectively care for this earth.

Learn more about the indigenous-led fight to stop the road to Ambler. An industrial road to the proposed Ambler mine which would cut across the Southern flank of the Brooks Range Mountains in Alaska Here.

Learn more about the Puyallup Tribe and Land acknowledgment HERE

Learn about indigenous lead change and the NDN Collective HERE

Learn which indigenous lands you live on HERE

Equity and Social Justice

Additionally, I believe in an equitable and just world where we honor diversity and inclusion, including LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and neurodivergent experiences and knowledge.

So that I can best serve the community, part of that commitment is dedicating time and money to increase my knowledge professionally and personally on anti-racism, indigenous allyship, neurodivergent experiences, and LGBTQ+ experiences. 

This Land Acknowledgement and Equity Statement is meant to acknowledge a journey of learning and action on my part, not an end result.  And I humbly and respectfully recognize that sometimes I will fumble and that the process is not always perfect. As such, I also recognize that listening, reflecting, and acknowledging when I stumble are part of this journey.