Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we are on the territory of the Nisenan people (as well as potentially unrecognized tribes). We honor the people and elders here today, the ancestors, and people who died in genocides past and present.
We also acknowledge people of African descent, brought to this country and indigenous land, whose labor and bodies have been and still are exploited and brutalized. We honor their ongoing resistance to genocide and colonization. We recognize our position as colonizers that benefit materially and physically from genocide.
Land Acknowledgement Resources
Nevada City Rancheria
Nevada City Rancheria is a local Nisenan tribe. Their Rancheria was illegally terminated during the 1950s and 1960s by the California Rancheria Termination Acts. Visit their website to learn about the group and discover ways you can help get their federal status reinstated.
Shingle Springs Rancheria
Shingle Springs Rancheria is a local Nisenan group. Their website offers information about the history of the tribe, their tribal government, and cultural events. You can also find information about Red Hawk Casino as well as the health and wellness center and the Express Fuel station they operate.
News from Native California
News from Native California is a quarterly magazine “devoted to the vibrant cultures, art, languages, histories, social justice movements, and stories of California's diverse Indian peoples." Buy a subscription or the current issue of the magazine, or support their work through a donation.
Untold History: The Survival of California’s Indians
“Untold History: The Survival of California’s Indians” tells the true story of what happened to California’s Indigenous populations. Many are still here today, but only after centuries of abhorrent treatment by the Spanish, Mission system, American colonizers, Gold Rush, Indian boarding schools, and Termination.
American Indians in Children's Literature
Dr. Debbie Reese is a Nambe Pueblo woman and children’s literature scholar who compiled the best-of book lists for children and teens written by and about Native Nations. We recommend Dr. Reese's blog if you like children's literature and/or want to see how deeply problematic depictions of Native peoples can be in literature.
The Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island
This archive is especially relevant for those of us with children in our lives. Consider advocating for the removal of Island of Blue Dolphins from modern curriculum. It is inaccurate and contributes to misperceptions of Indigenous peoples.