CU System Land Acknowledgment

In October, 2020, CU President Mark Kennedy issued an official Land Acknowledgment statement – a first for the CU System. The text of that statement can be found here.

University of Colorado Boulder Land Acknowledgment

The University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado’s flagship university, honors and recognizes the many contributions of Indigenous peoples in our state. CU Boulder acknowledges that it is located on the traditional territories and ancestral homelands of the Cheyenne, Arapaho, Ute and many other Native American nations. Their forced removal from these territories has caused devastating and lasting impacts. While the University of Colorado Boulder can never undo or rectify the devastation wrought on Indigenous peoples, we commit to improving and enhancing engagement with Indigenous peoples and issues locally and globally.

 We will do this by:

  • Recognizing and amplifying the voices of Indigenous CU Boulder students, staff and faculty and their work. 
  • Educating, conducting research, supporting student success and integrating Indigenous knowledge.
  • Consulting, engaging and working collaboratively with tribal nations to enhance our ability to provide access and culturally sensitive support and to recruit, retain and graduate Native American students in a climate that is inclusive and respectful.

Additional Resources

Your Personal Land Acknowledgment

At CNAIS, we also believe that a meaningful Land Acknowledgment statement must address historical wrongs and inequities, not just the fact that others once occupied the land. In recognizing these wrongs, you should commit to concrete actions to address continuing inequities. If you are non-indigenous, what are you going to do to acknowledge the benefits you have received in exchange for the unjust ways that lands were occupied and acquired, as well as the continuing negative effects on the previous occupants and their descendants? This could include commitments of your time, money or service to organizations that serve indigenous peoples in your area. 

We believe that these should be significant commitments, not just token amounts. As an example, if you donate money, and you are an established professional, consider at least 1% of your annual salary as a donation on a one-time basis. Or if you are not in a position to donate financially, consider the equivalent of at least 1% of standard work hours (160 hours a month > 1.6 hours a month of service) for a year.

Worthy organizations are many, including: