Did you know that Carnegie Mellon University is one of the only higher education institutions in this country without a Land Acknowledgement?

Let's petition for leadership at this institution to stand for truth and resolution by acknowledging the traditional Native inhabitants of the land in which the institution now resides. As a university committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, the institution should pursue partnerships, historical recognition, community service, and increased enrollment in Native American communities.

As we witness our nation confronting a legacy of injustice, Carnegie Mellon should stand on the right side of history through bold and concrete actions by moving forward to create a safe space for Native Americans. It is detrimental to the community and the university to foster a culture of neglect and disregard to indigenous people in the region and around the world. We are a diverse community that should strive to allow everyone to feel welcome on campus.

Long before even a brick was laid to construct the first building in what we now call Carnegie Mellon University, this land was already inhabited. Carnegie Mellon University sits on the ancestral land of the Seneca people, Adena tribe, Hopewell tribe, Monongahela people, the Delaware Nation, and others who fled from genocide, dispossession, and persecution. As we spread awareness of the painful history of this territory, we must honor, uplift, and respect the enduring bond of Native Americans from this land in which we gather here today.

As landmarks and names show the residual of the existence of tribes in nowadays Pittsburgh, it is imperative as a university to show respect and intention by acknowledging the history of this place during official events, documentations, development/sustainability plans, and in media. As an academic institution, Carnegie Mellon University owes Native people an acknowledgment of their history and culture. This would be a small step in the right direction to create a welcoming space and environment that shares and comprehends the region's tumultuous past.

Furthermore, Carnegie Mellon University must keep demonstrating that collective action is essential for generating positive change and progress for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the United States, and the world. A collective action to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in today, and the future. Moreover, Carnegie Mellon must become a place that illuminates knowledge of the silencing, exploitation, subjugation, forced eviction, and genocide of Native Americans and other marginalized groups. Hence, we also petition campus leaders to form a bridge between CMU and the Native American local population and institutions, because we need to support and incentivize local groups to empower marginalized voices.

Learn more about the issue with the following resources:

Get to know the geography of Indigenous Nations: Native Land Digital Map

Learn more about the history of this land before colonization: Who Lived Here First?, Native Americans Of The Eastern Ohio Country, Pennsylvania History on the Eve of Colonization, History of Pittsburgh: In the Beginning. 

Learn more about Land acknowledgments: Guide by the Native Governance Center, US Department of Arts and Culture Guide to Honor Native Land

Get in contact with the local Native American community: Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center, Inc.