land & labor acknowledgement
paying respect to our indigenous and BIPOC communities
land & labor acknowledgement
PrideVMC acknowledges the Ramaytush, Ohlone, and Muwekma nations on whose land we live and work. Through their resiliency and despite the atrocities of colonization and genocide, the contemporary Indigenous population in the San Francisco Bay Area is now 18,500 strong and projected to continue growing over the next few decades. We pay our respects to their elders, past, present, and emerging, and continue to fight injustice in all its forms. We support the Bay Area American Indian Two Spirits which exists to restore and recover the role of Two-Spirit people within the American Indian/First Nations community by creating a forum for the spiritual, cultural, and artistic expression of Two-Spirit people.
We recognize and acknowledge that our country was built on the labor of enslaved people who were kidnapped and brought to the US from Africa and recognize the continued contribution of their survivors. We also recognize that many indentured, enslaved, and exploited peoples were forced to dedicate their labor to these lands. To all these peoples and their descendants, we acknowledge their indelible mark on the space in which we gather.
What Is a Land Acknowledgement?
A land acknowledgment is a formal statement that recognizes the unique and enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories.
Why Do We Recognize The Land?
To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory you reside on, and a way of honouring the Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial. It is important to understand the long standing history that has brought you to reside on the land, and to seek to understand your place within that history. Land acknowledgements do not exist in a past tense, or historical context: colonialism is a current ongoing process, and we need to build our mindfulness of our present participation. It is also worth noting that acknowledging the land is Indigenous protocol.
What Is a Labor Acknowledgement?
A labor acknowledgment is a statement that recognizes that much of the economic progress and development in a geographic area or industry resulted from the unpaid labor and forced servitude of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) – specifically enslaved African labor.
Resources
Understanding Land and Labor Acknowledgements
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