Our Work is Built on Collaboration
The statement condemning unjust deeds and honoring the land and the Indigenous people is consistent with College’s antidiscrimination statements and values, including Affirmative Action policy. The commitment to uplift Wampanoag and Indigenous voices and work for reconciliation through collaboration is a call for action.
We are grateful to all the members of the community that provided input and collaboration on this acknowledgement and work to elevate Wampanoag and Indigenous voices in the College community. This includes the Wampanoag Tribe, students from the Wampanoag middle and high schools, Nitana Greendeer Hicks of the Wampanoag Tribe, Joe Diggs for his work on the on-campus mural celebrating the Wampanoag and Cape Verdean peoples, Professor Claudine Barnes, and members of the Tribal government.
This acknowledgement is a living document, which we will continue to update as we continue to learn. The Native Governance Center offers some ways to stand in solidarity with Indigenous people. They write, “Solidarity can look like: donating time and money to Indigenous-led organizations, amplifying the voices of Indigenous people leading grassroots change movements, and returning land.”
During the research, the College made use of materials available through the Native Governance Center, the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, a non-profit association, and several institution statements, including: Quinsigamond Community College, UMass Dartmouth, Falmouth School Committee, Wellesley College, Princeton University, Harvard University, and Shoreline Community College.