On September 16th, the day of Convocation, Stanford University removed its land acknowledgement from campus-wide ceremonies. This decision was disseminated through an unsigned letter sent out to a limited number of administrative personnel, presumably from university leadership. Prior to the removal of the land acknowledgement, the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe—the original peoples of the land—the Stanford Native community, and the undergraduate population were not made aware of this decision or the unsigned letter. This letter declared the land acknowledgment “symbolic” and “performative.”

This decision exists in opposition to the University’s stated goals of honoring relationships with Native people, genuine reflection, and meaningful action. This removal damages Stanford's principles of mutual trust, good relations, inquiry, and learning. Land acknowledgements recognize complex histories; they do not exist in past tense or outside historical context. They are significant to the generational presence of Indigenous communities. Specifically, for the Muwekma Ohlone people, the land acknowledgement serves as an important component toward their fight for federal recognition. Reinstating the land acknowledgement demonstrates a meaningful effort to partner with Native communities, especially the community whose ancestral lands serve as the site of our campus. The Muwekma Ohlone Tribe has insisted on the complete presence and reinstatement of the University’s land acknowledgement. We respectfully ask that Stanford:

1. Reinstate the land acknowledgement at campus-wide ceremonies.

2. Commit to an upper-level administrator reading the acknowledgement aloud at campus-wide ceremonies, as requested by the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe. 

3. Make the statement visible in printed materials and on projected screens at -wide ceremonies.

4. Meet with Indigenous students, faculty, staff, and the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe to co-create meaningful practices that strengthen and hold accountable the University’s commitments to Native people.

5. Release an accountability statement acknowledging the lack of communication with the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe and Stanford Native community regarding the removal of the University’s land acknowledgement.

If Stanford University truly seeks to foster a culture of expansive inquiry, freedom of thought, and meaningful action, then committing to an inclusive process of communication and discussion is non-negotiable. Land acknowledgements need not be transformative, but are an invitation to engage with important, complex historical issues. Stanford's principles rest on the reimplementation of the land acknowledgment, and we as a community stand with the Muwekma Ohlone People.

Respectfully,

Stanford American Indian Organization

Co-Chairs | Adriana Young | Puali‘i Zidek | Sophia Wright