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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-19-22 Study Session Agenda PacketSTUDY SESSION AGENDA CITY COUNCIL CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO 7500 W. 29th Ave. Wheat Ridge CO September 19, 2022 6:30 pm This meeting will be conducted as a virtual meeting, and in person, at 7500 West 29th Avenue, Municipal Building, if allowed to meet on that date per COVID-19 restrictions. Some City Council members or City staff members will be physically present at the Municipal building for this meeting. The public may participate in these ways: 1. Attend the meeting in person at City Hall. Use the appropriate roster to sign up to speak upon arrival 2. Provide comment in advance at www.wheatridgespeaks.org (comment by noon on September 19, 2022) 3. Virtually attend and participate in the meeting through a device or phone: • Click here to join and provide public comment • Or call +1-669-900-6833 with Access Code: 881 1866 3399 • Passcode: 054252 4. View the meeting live or later at www.wheatridgespeaks.org, Channel 8, or YouTube Live at https://www.ci.wheatridge.co.us/view Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to participate in all public meetings sponsored by the City of Wheat Ridge. Contact the Public Information Officer at 303-235-2877 or wrpio@ci.wheatridge.co.us with as much notice as possible if you are interested in participating in a meeting and need inclusion assistance. Public Comment on Agenda Items 1. Land Acknowledgement Committee Update 2. Staff Report(s) 3. Elected Officials’ Report(s) Memorandum TO: Mayor and City Council THROUGH: Patrick Goff, City Manager FROM: Karen A. O’Donnell, Parks & Recreation Director DATE: September 19, 2022 SUBJECT: Land Acknowledgement ___________________________________________________________________________ ISSUE: Councilmembers Hoppe and Nosler-Beck requested a study session to discuss with the Mayor and City Council the establishment of a land acknowledgement program for the City of Wheat Ridge. That meeting was held on October 4, 2021. The City’s Land Acknowledgement Committee would like to provide the City Council with an update on their progress and next steps. What is land acknowledgement? Indigenous land acknowledgment is an effort to recognize the Indigenous past, present, and future of a particular location and to understand our own place within that relationship. Usually, land acknowledgements take the form of written and/or verbal statements. It’s becoming more and more common to see land acknowledgements delivered at conferences, community gatherings, places of worship, concerts and festivals, etc. Process Prior to the formation of a committee, staff connected with Sam Bock, Public Historian and Exhibit Developer with History Colorado. Sam provided critical information related to Indigenous history and culture, as well as land acknowledgement development. One thing that staff quickly learned was that there is no one-size-fits-all, step-by-step process. However, one thing that was very clear was that we needed to put in the work before approaching any Tribes for feedback. Members of the Land Acknowledgement Committee were recruited from the Historical Society, the Race and Equity Task Force, Cultural Commission, and Parks and Recreation Commission. To date, the committee has held six meetings, ultimately resulting in a draft land acknowledgement statement and a list of action items. The committee also visited History Colorado and met with Sam Bock on site. We were able to ask questions about land acknowledgement, the various Tribes that resided in Wheat Ridge, and enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of the Ute exhibit. In addition, staff connected with Senator Jessie Danielson, who has done a lot of work related to Indigenous issues in the state of Colorado. Senator Danielson shared advice on next steps and offered assistance. She generously offered to provide specific contact information for Tribal leaders who will be critical in this process. Additionally, Sam Bock can provide email addresses for all 48 Tribes, in order for us to begin obtaining critical feedback and relationship development. Draft Land Acknowledgement Statement for the City of Wheat Ridge We pause to acknowledge that we are on the traditional territory of the Tsistsistas (Cheyenne), the Hinono’ei (Arapaho) and the Nuu-ciu (Ute). We further recognize the 48 contemporary tribal nations who lived on the lands that make up the State of Colorado. This area was the site of trade, hunting, gathering, and healing for many Native Nations. As inhabitants of these spaces, we honor the tribal nations’ interconnected human relationship to land, air, and water. The expansion of industrialized civilization on this land came at a dire cost to these Tribes and their descendants. As residents of Wheat Ridge, we commit to reconciling our problematic history by building authentic and respectful connections with the tribal nations who once lived here. May this acknowledgement demonstrate a commitment to working to dismantle ongoing legacies of oppression and inequities and recognize the current and future contributions of Indigenous communities in Wheat Ridge. As we move through our community, give pause to connect with the land that you are currently standing on. Now introduce yourself spiritually; build a relationship with Mother Earth that provides for all our relations. Please take a moment to honor these ancestral grounds and celebrate the resilience and strength that Indigenous people have shown. Request: The Land Acknowledgement Committee is not looking for City Council to edit or wordsmith the draft statement, but the committee would like your support to move forward with our next steps, as outlined in the presentation. Attachment: 1. Land Acknowledgement Committee Update PowerPoint Land acknowledgement committee update Wheat Ridge City Council Study Session September 19, 2022 Land acknowledgement committee members Deb Bollig Teresa Shelden Don Wood Nikki Larsen Jenny Snell Susan Bennett (staff) Kathleen Martell Karen Stanley Karen O’Donnell (staff) Morgan Richards Anisa Valdez How we got here •Topic discussed during Wheat Ridge 101 •City Council Meeting –October 4, 2021 •Committee members recruited from Race &Equity Task Force,Historical Society, Cultural Commission, Parks & Recreation Commission, etc. •First committee meeting held on March 30, 2022 •Six total committee meetings + a field trip to History Colorado •Staff connected offline with History Colorado staff and State Senator Jesse Danielson Draft Land acknowledgement statement We pause to acknowledge that we are on the traditional territory of the Tsistsistas (Cheyenne), the Hinono’ei (Arapaho) and the Nuu-ciu (Ute). We further recognize the 48 contemporary tribal nations who lived on the lands that make up the State of Colorado. This area was the site of trade, hunting, gathering, and healing for many Native Nations. As inhabitants of these spaces, we honor the tribal nations’interconnected human relationship to land, air, and water. The expansion of industrialized civilization on this land came at a dire cost to these Tribes and their descendants. As residents of Wheat Ridge, we commit to reconciling our problematic history by building authentic and respectful connections with the tribal nations who once lived here. May this acknowledgement demonstrate a commitment to working to dismantle ongoing legacies of oppression and inequities and recognize the current and future contributions of Indigenous communities in Wheat Ridge. As we move through our community, give pause to connect with the land that you are currently standing on. Now introduce yourself spiritually; build a relationship with Mother Earth that provides for all our relations. Please take a moment to honor these ancestral grounds and celebrate the resilience and strength that Indigenous people have shown. Draft land acknowledgement statement continued •Understand that this is a fluid, ongoing process. Progress can be made; mistakes and setbacks may occur. Hold space for the process and assume good intentions. •The Land Acknowledgement Committee is not looking for City Council to edit or wordsmith the draft statement, but we would like your support to move forward with our next steps (discussed later in the presentation). Action plan •Establish relationships with Tribes connected to Wheat Ridge •Finalize the City of Wheat Ridge Land Acknowledgement Statement (Proclamation?) •Read at City Council meetings,Board &Commission meetings,etc.(or play a recording, if preferred) •Utilize Land Acknowledgement Statement at special events and ribbon cuttings •Education •City website, social media, educational programming/storytelling, ethnobotany, link on email signature, QR codes with resources and pronunciations •Toolkit to educate, particularly those with different world views Additional action items (POSSIBLE future considerations) •Donations/Fundraisers for Tribes •Signage in parks, on trails, in facilities, etc. •Include in employee, board, and commission onboarding •Include in Wheat Ridge 101 •Share with businesses and schools –encourage them to use it or create their own •Sponsor a Tribal athletic team •Rename streets and/or parks; consider opportunities to incorporate into new park spaces Additional action items (POSSIBLE future considerations) •Provide an opportunity for Indigenous individuals in the Wheat Ridge community to engage and/or contribute through an opt-in process •Connect with Indigenous artists •Traveling display •Work with other municipalities, as well as Wheat Ridge boards, commissions, and task forces Next steps •Send summary to Senator Jessie Danielson; she will provide important Tribal contact information •Send draft statement and action plan to all 48 Tribes –do not expect all to respond, but provide the opportunity •Follow up directly, by phone, with the most critical voices/active leaders •Schedule Land Acknowledgement Committee meeting to review feedback received •Return to City Council with an update and final Land Acknowledgement Statement •Continue ongoing communication with Tribes •Continuous improvement and action resources •Why We Need To Amplify Indigenous Voices? (Sara Sinclair, TEDxCollegePark) https://youtu.be/xW47xO9UAOI •Illuminatives Video: Change the Story, Change the Future https://youtu.be/B5FrNpG1pCQ •Illuminatives:https://illuminatives.org/about-us/(they have a downloadable toolkit) •Voices of Witness: https://voiceofwitness.org/ •How-To Guide: https://nativegov.org/a-guide-to-indigenous-land-acknowledgment/ Resources (continued) •Northern Cheyenne Tribe: https://www.cheyennenation.com/contact.html •Northern Arapaho Tribe: http://northernarapaho.com/wp/directory-of-tribal-programs/ •Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes: https://cheyenneandarapaho-nsn.gov/ •Ute Mountain Ute Tribe: http://www.utemountainutetribe.com/ •Southern Ute Tribe: https://www.southernute-nsn.gov/ •Northern Ute Tribe: http://www.utetribe.com/ Resources (continued) •US Department of Arts &Culture: Honor Native Land, A Guide & Call to Acknowledgement: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OeEGOHw2OfxzdoljeUnfokXzmB5G1vaQ/view •California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center: You’re on California Indian Land, Now What?Acknowledging Relationships Between Space & Place: https://www.csusm.edu/cicsc/land.pdf •Native Governance Center: Beyond Land Acknowledgement: https://nativegov.org/news/beyond-land-acknowledgment- guide/ Any Questions? Thank you!