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Land Acknowledgement
At Illinois Humanities we respectfully acknowledge that the land on which our main office is located is made up of the territories and lands of the people of Potawatomi, Ojibwe, and Odawa Nations as well as many other tribes who have called this land home including Miami, Ho-Chunk, and Menominee Nations. These Nations were forcefully removed from their traditional territories, however, these lands continue to carry the stories, resilience, and tenacity of these Nations. Despite the federal and local government-enforced policies of genocide of American Indians, Chicago is home to the sixth largest urban Indian population representing more than 100 different Tribal Nations.
We also recognize that land acknowledgment statements are most meaningful when coupled with a commitment to programs and actions that support Indigenous rights and cultural equity. We acknowledge that Illinois Humanities is just starting this journey and that we have more work to do, but we are committed to supporting and building sustained relationships with Indigenous organizations throughout Illinois and encourage you to support these organizations and efforts as well. In the Chicagoland-area, these organizations include American Indian Center, Trickster Cultural Center, American Indian Health Services, and Center for Native Futures.