Land Acknowledgment Statement for Annual Conference in Traverse City

As those in the library profession gather to learn and work together, we wish to recognize the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabe people who are today represented by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.

To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation, and also a way of honoring the elders and native inhabitants, both past and present, who have lived and worked on the land - beyond memory or recall. We recognize the painful history of genocide, displacement, migration and settlement that brings us together.

MLA is dedicated to improving community relationships and making our organization a more supportive and inclusive place for Native and Indigenous voices and perspectives. We encourage everyone to learn the histories of this land, to look at who has and does not have access to its resources, and to examine your own place, abilities, and obligations within this process of reparative work that is necessary to promote a more equitable and socially just world.

To show our commitment, MLA has taken action and have added Indigenous resources and history of this region on our event website, and will provide a small donation to the Heritage Library of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.

Through these small actions, MLA will continue to recognize and support the sovereignty of Michigan’s Indian nations and Indigenous Peoples when we gather to learn and work together.