On this day, we honor the indigenous peoples of our land and recognize their history,
culture, and contributions. We also acknowledge Native lands that we occupy. We encourage
you to identify native land and languages in your area. We recognize today as a day
we can all come together still, even if far apart, to empower Indigenous peoples.
In late spring of 2020 (mid-pandemic), ASUW passed Senate Bill #2699 for a land acknowledgement
to be read at their ASUW meetings and the bill was unanimously passed. This land acknowledgement
was written to be inclusive and collaborative amongst our Native Communities, Native
Students, and UW partners across campus. Together with the support from ASUW President
Talamantes (then Senator) and VP Titus (then Chief of Staff), former ASUW President
Wilkins, Former Vice President Houghton, UMC Co-Chair Gonzales along with Senators
Alrejjal, Mulhall, Pierson, and Welsh, Director Savage, First-Year Senator Swilling,
and SAL Bennett, Dr. Jaime from Native American & IndigenousStudies, Reinette Tendore
from the NAERCC, Multicultural Affairs, and students from the Keepers of the Fire
Student Organization; this land acknowledgement should be “a meaningful practice with
appreciation and gratitude to the original inhabitants and their sacrifices made for
the land.”
“We collectively acknowledge that the University of Wyoming occupies the ancestral
and traditional lands of the Cheyenne, Arapaho, Crow, and Shoshone Indigenous peoples
along with other Native tribes who call the Great Basin and Rocky Mountain region
home. We recognize, support, and advocate alongside Indigenous individuals and communities
who live here now, and with those forcibly removed from their Homelands.”
-ASUW Senate Bill #2699
We appreciate and are so thankful for our UW campus partners and community for supporting
this effort and other Native American efforts across campus that work towards advocating
and providing space for our Native community, especially our students and their families.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
THE NAERCC
