As members of the Kent County Food Policy Council, we honor and acknowledge that Kent County occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabeg -- Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi peoples.
It is important for each of us to acknowledge, understand and seek to repair the harm that
has brought us to this moment as both colonizers/settlers and Indigenous people.
We recognize that land acknowledgment is only a starting point. We have a history of genocide, broken treaties, and colonialism that has been concealed through history. We acknowledge the impacts of this history on the generations of the past and are committed to working toward a future where all people can live in right and just relationship with the land and with each other.
While we cannot undo the wrongs and disguise the past, we must be forthright about the
journey to today and take restorative action. We commit to continued action and partnership with the people of the Anishinaabeg, Black, and other marginalized identities who have been exploited to generate wealth for the few. Through this acknowledgment, we commit to examining what action needs to be taken to reverse the long-standing practices to erase Indigenous people’s history, language, culture, and existence. We commit to appreciating and celebrating Indigenous ways of life, especially relating to food. By making these commitments and acting upon them, we work toward a future of right and just relationship in our food system and beyond.