The purpose of our Land Acknowledgement is to recognize the land on which we create theatre; land that was stolen, not ceded from Native nations; the roots of where storytelling truly began with Native elders.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Oregon Thespians acknowledges the Indigenous first inhabitants and original storytellers of this unceded land where we live and create theatre. We recognize the role of white colonialism, occupation, and oppression of many people in our country, and declare that this space and voice belongs to our most vulnerable to share lived experiences through storytelling in its many forms. Across Oregon, we also acknowledge that we are gathered on the traditional territory of, and currently home to, many diverse First Nation peoples who have stewarded this land for generations.

(Go to Native-Land.ca to find out more about local Indigenous territories and languages.)

We recognize that our actions speak louder than words.

We must allow our actions to speak more clearly than our words usually do.

As a theatre community, our acknowledgment must be more than performative.

We can take steps right now to:
Promote and support giving back these lands;
Donate to support Indigenous storytellers; and
Thereby amplify Indigenous people’s voices with compensation.
We are challenged to take action steps to fulfill this commitment.