Metro Blooms Land and Labor Acknowledgement:

We are on the stolen homelands and treaty territory of the Dakota Oyate [oy-yah-tay]. Minnesota, the US Government, and European white colonizers carried out genocide, ethnic cleansing, and forced removal of the Dakota to acquire land and wealth. The Ioway [eye-oh-way], Hocąk [ho-chunk], Anishinaabe [Ah-Nee-shin-AH-bay] and other Indigenous Nations have also called this region home. The waters and plants here have traditional, spiritual, and cultural significance to the Indigenous Peoples of this land who are still here stewarding them.

We acknowledge the violent exploitation, trafficking and enslaved labor of Africans and their descendants by white colonizers on these same stolen lands. Deeply rooted white supremacy continues to propagate injustices in health, wealth, and opportunity. Here and across the country, Black communities are segregated and displaced, disrupting traditions and relationships with land. We benefit greatly from the undervalued and co-opted contributions of Black communities who have made possible much of our country’s economic and cultural growth.

Take a moment to reflect internally, how does white supremacy show up in your life? How might you be participating and how can we come together to mobilize change? (pause)

We have much to learn from Minnesota’s Indigenous and Black communities about how we relate to each other and the earth.

Metro Blooms’ Land and Labor Acknowledgment is a living document that evolves with our organization. It informs our commitments to Native communities and our developing commitments to Black communities. We welcome ongoing dialogue and constructive feedback. Thanks to Wakan Tipi Awayankapi and ocho smith for consulting support.

_______________

Metro Blooms Commitments to Native Communities

Metro Blooms:

1. Integrates land acknowledgements into signage, meetings, trainings and workshops as appropriate
2. Develops and deepens relationships with Indigenous organizations* and individuals as we learn, following the leadership of values-aligned indigenous organizations
3. Uplifts and supports the work of Native-led organizations doing environmental justice work and Land Back activism
4. Understands and shares that our work takes place on stolen land on the homelands of Dakota Nations, including communities who have stewarded this place for millennia
5. Holds ongoing conversations about our responsibilities and relationship with Native communities
6. Uplifts and supports staff in attending educational opportunities related to Native History, contemporary experiences, and relation to land
7. Encourages Native representation on our board, our staff, and our Blue Thumb Steering Committee
8. Includes Dakota names of plants in our signage and resources
9. Redistributes 5% of funding annually to Indigenous people and organizations

_______________

We invite you to learn alongside us. Here are some resources and local Indigenous and Black-led organizations you can follow and support. We list more on our Environmental Justice page.