We recognize the People of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi peoples on whose land we are gathered. The Three Fires People are Indigenous to this land; this is their ancestral territory. Every university is built on stolen, native land. Here, we are guests and one way to practice right relations is to develop genuine ways to acknowledge the histories and traditions of the people who originated here first, who are still here, and who tend to the land always.  

We make this land acknowledgment as a reminder of the histories, teachings, traditions, and the first people who originated here. As guests on this land, we are responsible to learn about the history of settler colonialism and its impact on Indigenous people. As settlers, scholars, teachers, and students, we acknowledge the relationship between settler colonialism and academic institutions, the impact of that relationship on the academy, and continue to engage in the important work of social justice. 

For more information on the purpose and intent of land acknowledgments, explore the links on this page: Northwestern University Indigenous Initiatives. 

For resources for and about the People of the Three Fires and the indigenous people of the Americas, explore the links on this page:  Land Acknowledgement - Multicultural Affairs - Grand Valley State University (gvsu.edu).