#HonorNativeLand

Every community owes its existence and vitality to generations from around the world who contributed their hopes, dreams, and energy to making the history that brought us to this moment. Some were brought here against their will, some were drawn to this place in the hope of a better life, and some have lived on this land for more generations than can be counted. Honesty and acknowledgment are critical to building mutual respect and and connection. I begin to honor this truth by recognizing that I live and work on the ancestral lands and unceded territories of the Wahpekute, Anishinabe (Ojibwe), Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux), and Tiwa Peoples. I pay respect to their elders past and present. By living and working in these places, histories of displacement, violence, migration, and settlement become part of my history.

My wife and I are financially committed to reparations for Indigenous Americans. We have chosen to transfer resources through the American Indian College Fund and Migizi.

My awareness and activism are works in progress. Please contact me to recommend corrections or additions. If you are writing an acknowledgement to #honornativeland I recommend reading this and this.

If we have been scared lately, like our ancestors waiting for Moses, if we have felt the absence of something or someone we need, this parsha is for us. We are not alone in reaching for something solid when the ground feels uncertain. That is human. That is ancient. That has been true since before Sinai.