Land Acknowledgement Statement

In this Section

 

As part of our effort to better serve traditionally marginalized/minoritized groups, FRCC is committed to changing our policies and practices to be more responsive to the needs of Native American and Indigenous students. A small, but initial, step to this is to acknowledge the original stewards of the lands FRCC campuses now sit on. This is why we have crafted our Land Acknowledgement Statement below.

This statement was developed and written with the assistance of Native American and Indigenous students, families, staff, faculty and community members. It marks the beginning of our efforts to not only bring awareness to the original stewards of the lands our campuses sit on, but to:

  • Create and build relationships with local Native American and Indigenous tribes
  • Provide community service and donations to the local tribal organizations
  • Create and provide FRCC Foundation scholarships to three Native American Students who come from one of the Colorado Native American Tribes (one scholarship for each campus

FRCC will continue to assess our path moving forward and our Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Council will continually look for ways to increase our efforts to serve our whole community.

Front Range Community College Land Acknowledgement Statement

Front Range Community College acknowledges that, with respect, the lands that our campuses occupy are the ancestral and traditional homelands of the Arapaho, Cheyenne and Ute nations. We honor the land, the water, all peoples both living and past, and we are grateful to be here - recognizing that the original stewards of  this land were those ancestors who have lived here for thousands of years, prior to written histories, as well as the many diverse and vibrant Native communities who are still connected to this land on which we gather today.

Through oral histories we know that these areas were also the sites of day-to-day life, gathering, trade, community and healing for many other Native Nations - the Apache, Comanche, Hopi, Kiowa, Lakota, Shoshone and the Zuni being among at least 48 contemporary Native Nations that have been part of the recent history of the lands that make up the state of Colorado.

However, we must also acknowledge the impacts of manifest destiny3, including the painful histories of genocide, broken treaties, forced removal from these lands, silencing and exploitation, as well as the continued racism and the magnitude of inequities that Native Americans and Indigenous people continue to experience to this day. In recent times, the United States government legally recognized the Cheyenne and Arapaho Nations as the owners of these lands through the Fort Laramie Treaty of 18511 - although, presently, many tribes including the Arapaho have been fully displaced and have no legally recognized land in Colorado2.

As we speak these words of acknowledgement, our intention is to recognize the ties that those Native Nations have to their traditional homelands, while also recognizing our responsibilities as an institution that is the beneficiary of unceded land. While we cannot expect the descendants living today to forgive or forget what has happened, we can offer a promise to remember the past and pledge to forge a new path forward to treat our tenure in these lands with respect. Consistent with the college's commitment to equity, inclusion and diversity, Front Range Community College commits itself to action towards positive outcomes for Indigenous peoples by: funding to support Native American students with scholarship opportunities; supporting our staff, faculty and our communities through continuous learning and education; community service, outreach and enrollment efforts; historical recognitions; and community partnerships.

Declaracion de reconocimiento de tierras

Front Range Community College reconoce que, con respeto, las tierras que nuestros campus ocupan son las tierras ancestrales y tradicionales de los arapaho, cheyenne y ute. Nosotros honramos la tierra, el agua, todas las personas ambas vivas y pasadas y estamos agradecidos de estar aquí - reconociendo que los mayordomos originales de esta tierra eran esos antepasados que han vivido aquí por miles de años, antes de las historias escritas, también como las muchas comunidades nativas diversas y vibrantes que están todavía conectadas a esta tierra en la que nos reunimos hoy. 

A través de historias orales nosotros sabemos que estas áreas también fueron los sitios de vida diaria, reunión, comercio, comunidad y curación para muchos otros pueblos indígenas - los apache, comanche, hopi, kiowa, lakota, shoshone y zuni siendo parte de por lo menos 48 pueblos indígenas contemporáneas que han sido parte de la historia reciente de las tierras que componen el estado de Colorado. 

Sin embargo, nosotros también debemos reconocer los impactos de la doctrina del destino manifiesto (“manifest destiny*”) incluyendo las historias dolorosas de genocidio, tratados rotos, expulsión forzada de estas tierras, silenciamiento y explotación, también como el racismo continuado y la magnitud de las desigualdades que nativos americanos y los pueblos indígenas siguen viviendo hasta el día de hoy. En tiempos recientes, el gobierno de los Estados Unidos legalmente reconoció los pueblos cheyenne y arapaho como los dueños de estas tierras a través del Tratado del fuerte Laramie de 1851 (“Fort Laramie Treaty of 18511”) - aunque, en este momento, muchas tribus incluyendo los arapaho han sido completamente desplazadas y no tienen tierra legalmente reconocida en Colorado2.

Mientras decimos estas palabras de reconocimiento, nuestra intención es reconocer los lazos que aquellos pueblos indígenas tienen a sus tierras tradicionales, mientras también reconociendo nuestras responsabilidades como una institución que es la beneficiaria de tierra sin ceder. Mientras nosotros no podemos exigir que los descendientes viviendo hoy perdonen u olviden lo que ha pasado, podemos ofrecer una promesa de recordar el pasado y prometer de forjar un nuevo camino para adelante para tratar nuestra ocupación en estas tierras con respeto. Consistente con el compromiso de la universidad a la equidad, inclusión y diversidad, Front Range Community College se comete a acción hacia resultados positivos para pueblos indígenas en: fondos para apoyar a estudiantes nativos americanos con oportunidades de recibir becas; apoyando a nuestro personal, facultad y comunidades a través de aprendizaje continuo y educación; el servicio a la comunidad, alcance y esfuerzo de matrícula; reconocimientos históricos; y asociaciones comunitarias.

References

The sources cited in our statement include:

  1. Treaty of Fort Laramie
  2. Treaty of Fort Wise
  3. Manifest Destiny 

Resources for Local Native American Groups. Associations and Affiliations

  1. CSU Native American Cultural Center
  2. CSU Student Organizations
  3. Northern Colorado Intertribal Powwow Association
  4. Trees, Water & People
  5. Lakota Way Healing Center

Guide to Tribal Pronunciation

  • Apache
    • Sounds like - uh · pah · chee
  • Arapaho
    • Sounds like - ur · a · puh · how
  • Cheyenne
    • Sounds like - shai · an
  • Comanche
    • Sounds like - kuh · man · chee
  • Hopi
  • Sounds like - how · pee
  • Kiowa
    • Sounds like - kai · uh · wuh
  • Lakota
    • Sounds like - luh · kow · tuh
  • Shoshone 
  • Sounds like - shuh · show · nee
  • Ute
  • Sounds like - yoo · t
  • Zuni
  • Sounds like - zoo · nee

Contact Us

Equity & Inclusion

Executive Director

Krishna Pattisapu

 

Coordinator

Harris Armstrong