Mr. Rico Newman, Elder and member of the Piscataway Nation, reciting a land acknowledgement statement.
Land acknowledgment statement from Sharon Wilder, Esq., Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer
For non-indigenous communities, land acknowledgment is a powerful way of showing respect and honoring the Indigenous Peoples of the land on which we work and live. Acknowledgment is a simple way of resisting the erasure of Indigenous histories and working towards honoring and inviting the truth. Creating land acknowledgments is an institutional responsibility. Incorporating them in official higher education communications and work creates greater visibility of Native American students and communities, while acknowledging tribal sovereignty and honoring those that came before. Such actions also demonstrate our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
A map depicting the ancestral territories of Native tribes in the DMV area, including land belonging to the Piscataway, Patuxent, and Nacotchtank (Anacostian) peoples.