The Astronomical Society of the Pacific( ASP), is located on the ancestral lands of the Ramaytush Ohlone peoples.
All of us in North America are living and working on land once inhabited and stewarded by people indigenous to the land. Most of these people experienced genocide and/or forced removal from their land by colonial settlers. A land acknowledgment is a formal statement that recognizes and respects Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of this land and the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories, and supports their efforts to reestablish sovereignty and return land to them.
These simple land acknowledgments are just a start. The ASP is working toward a more meaningful relationship with the Indigenous people whose land we occupy, as well as projects that support all Indigenous / Native people in our community.
Learn more about land acknowledgements in this guide from Native Governance Center, a Native-led nonprofit dedicated to assisting Native nations in strengthening their governance systems and capacity to exercise sovereignty.