I am a White person of European lineages, descended from colonizers.
I acknowledge this. It matters deeply to me to continue to discover what this means.
Most importantly, I am committed to changing how I live to address the appalling injuries done to Black, indigenous, Asian, Latinx, and other peoples and cultures.
This is not work that is ever complete. I will forever be learning more about how to do my part in the work.
For now, I clearly say:
I am privileged to live on the unceded ancestral lands stewarded by the Duwamish people, a living and present community whose lands hold the city of Seattle and whose culture lives at the roots of this place.
I am happy to be part of Real Rent Duwamish, supporting the work of the Duwamish people to safeguard and nourish their communities, and I STRONGLY encourage anyone reading this to see how you can materially support the peoples whose lands you live on as well.
Land and territory acknowledgements are the barest beginning of the repairs that need to be made.
Yes, let’s say these words – THIS LAND IS NOT MINE. It was not my ancestors’. It was taken, often through deceit and violence, by mine and others’ settler ancestors.
And then let’s live into what that means.
It’s a neverending process of discovery and building relationship to repair whatever we can of the injuries done.