"We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, but borrow it from our children."
-Native American Proverb
The ESIL program acknowledges that the land on which our campus was built has a history of cultural displacement:
“We honor and acknowledge that we are on the traditional territories and ancestral homelands of the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Ute nations. The area on which this campus resides was an epicenter for trade, information sharing, planning for the future, community, family and ally building, as well as conducting healing ceremonies for over 45 Indigenous Nations, including the Lakota, Kiowa, Comanche, Apache, Shoshone, Paiute, Zuni, Hopi among others."
“We must recognize Indigenous peoples as the original inhabitants and stewards of this land. As these words of acknowledgment are spoken and heard, remember the ties these nations still have to their traditional homelands. Let us acknowledge the painful history of genocide and forced removal from this territory and pay our respect to the diverse Indigenous peoples still connected to this land. We give thanks to all Tribal Nations and the ancestors of this place.” -Grace RedShirt Tyon