How we got here
The Lighthouse staff EDIA committee started discussing language and intentions for the land acknowledgement in the beginning of 2023 after our Development Director consulted in 2022 with an Indigenous community member and several faculty members about the history and impact of land acknowledgments. Members of the committee have drafted and edited language for the statement after researching examples from other organizations and working to understand what a land acknowledgment means and why Lighthouse should make their own statement. Each department within the organization was also tasked with coming up with their own measurable departmental goals that will serve as next steps for honoring and supporting indigenous communities in Colorado. This land acknowledgement will be prominently displayed in the new building.
Land Acknowledgment
Lighthouse recognizes that our literary center resides on land that is the traditional territory of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho peoples, as well as the 48 contemporary tribal nations that are historically tied to the lands currently called Colorado. We acknowledge the painful history of genocide and displacement that accompanies this land and our work, and the people who were forcibly brought to this land and enslaved against their will. Lighthouse is committed to honoring those who have stewarded this land through generations.
As stewards of the literary arts, we also acknowledge the current and historical discrimination, erasure, and appropriation of Indigenous peoples’ culture and storytelling traditions. We will continuously strive to make this building a place for all voices to be heard, for communities to gather, share stories, and connect, and for artistic expression to flourish. We humbly express our deep gratitude for the literary contributions of Indigenous peoples and communities.