On April 15, 2021, the Adams State University Board of Trustees adopted the Formal Land Acknowledgement Statement Policy, which establishes for all members of the Adams State community the precise language, the specific process, and the commitment to respect, to recognize, and to honor the Indigenous stewards of the San Luis Valley.
The Formal Land Acknowledgement Statement will help the institution remember the rich history of the land on which the University resides.
Formal Land Acknowledgment Statement
We, the Adams State University community, gratefully acknowledge the Indigenous peoples on whose ancestral lands we gather. This beautiful San Luis Valley is sacred to many Indigenous nations, including the Nuchu (Utes), Abáachi (Jicarilla Apaches), Numunu (Comanches), Ka’igwu (Kiowas), InunaIna (Arapahoe), Tsistsistas (Cheyenne), Diné (Navajo Nation), Pueblos, and all other First peoples who once made this valley their home. We honor the diverse communities that historically dwelled here and those who currently reside in the San Luis Valley. We know that honoring these lands is a reflective process that demands continued engagement and action.
It is in this spirit that we commit to the following:
We accept our responsibility to be good stewards of this land, air, and water.
We affirm the knowledge and experience shared with us by Indigenous cultures.
We acknowledge the injustices of the past and vow to seek the path of equity and justice.
We recognize that Adams State’s history is not without error and pledge to have the courage to do what is equitable and just.
We are grateful for the opportunity to learn, to work, to lead, to inspire, to reflect, to grow, and to support one another as we continue on our individual journeys together.
Adams State University is privileged to thrive in this magnificent place. Our shared understanding of the importance of community, of teaching, and of learning brings us all together. Respectfully, we shall continue the tradition of education while remembering the interconnectedness of all things, from the fourlegged, to the winged, and to the two-legged. May we always remember the journey of the past peoples who called this valley: “Home”.
Nosotros, la comunidad de Adams State University, reconocemos con gratitud a los pueblos indígenas en cuyas tierras ancestrales nos juntamos. Este hermoso Valle de San Luis es sagrado para diversas naciones indígenas, incluidos los Nuchu (Yutas), Pueblos, Abáachi (Apaches Jicarilla), Numunu (Comanches), Ka’igwu (Kíowas), Inuna-Ina (Arapajó), Tsistsistas (Cheyenes), Diné (Navajos) y todos los otros pueblos originarios que creaban un hogar en este valle. Honramos a la diversidad de comunidades que históricamente moraban aquí, y a aquellos que hoy en día viven en el Valle de San Luis. Sabemos que honrar a las tierras es un proceso reflexivo que demanda un continuo compromiso y acción.Es con este espíritu que nos comprometemos a lo siguiente:
Aceptamos nuestra responsabilidad de ser buenos guardianes de esta tierra, de su aire, y de su agua.
Afirmamos el conocimiento y la experiencia compartidas con nosotros por las culturas indígenas.
Reconocemos las injusticias del pasado y prometemos buscar el camino de la equidad y la justicia.
Reconocemos que la historia de Adams State no está libre de errores, y prometemos tener el valor de hacer lo que sea equitativo y justo.
Agradecemos la oportunidad de aprender, trabajar, dirigir, inspirar, reflexionar, desarrollarnos, y apoyarnos unos a otros mientras seguimos juntos en nuestros viajes individuales.
Adams State University tiene el privilegio de prosperar en este magnífico lugar. Nuestro conocimiento compartido de la importancia de la comunidad, de la enseñanza, y del aprendizaje, nos reúne. Respetuosamente, continuaremos la tradición educativa, mientras recordamos la interconexión de todas las cosas, desde los de cuatros patas hasta los alados y a los de dos pies. Sea que recordemos siempre el viaje de los antepasados que llamaban a este valle: “Hogar”.
Condensed Version
A required, shortened version of the Formal Land Acknowledgement Statement is to be delivered at the beginning of Public Events held on campus. Recitation of the following condensed version should be an integral component of any gathering at Adams State:
We, the Adams State University community, gratefully acknowledge the Indigenous peoples on whose ancestral lands we gather. This beautiful San Luis Valley is sacred to many Indigenous nations, including the Utes, Jicarilla Apaches, Comanches, Kiowas, Arapahoe, Cheyenne, Navajo Nation, Pueblos, and all other First peoples who once made this valley their home. We honor the diverse communities that historically dwelled here and those who currently reside in the San Luis Valley. We know that honoring these lands is a reflective process that demands continued engagement and action. May we always remember the journey of the past peoples who called this valley: “Home.”
