As a 20+ acre campus botanic garden, we affirm Wellesley College's land acknowledgment:

We recognize the many Indigenous peoples who have rich histories on this land, and we acknowledge the many Indigenous people who live, work, and study at Wellesley and in Massachusetts. Our land acknowledgement recognizes the long history of racism and oppression in the United States and strives to uplift the contemporary lives of Indigenous peoples.

We acknowledge that Wellesley College is built on ancestral and traditional land of the Massachusett people. We also recognize that the United States’ removal, termination, and assimilation policies and practices resulted in the forced settlement of Indigenous lands and the attempted erasure of Indigenous cultures and languages. We further acknowledge the oppression, injustices, and discrimination that Indigenous people have endured, and that there is much work to be done on the important journey to reconciliation. We commit to strengthen our understanding of the history and contemporary lives of Indigenous peoples and to steward this land.

We further recognize the many Indigenous people living here today - including the Massachusett, Wampanoag, and Nipmuc nations - who have rich ancestral histories in Wellesley and its surrounding communities. Today, their descendants remind us that they are still here, where they maintain a vital and visible presence. We honor and respect the enduring relationship between these peoples and this land, as well as the strength of Indigenous culture and knowledge, the continued existence of tribal soverignty, and the principle of tribal self-determination.*

Wellesley College Botanic Gardens invites everyone to participate in strengthening our collective understanding of this land, encompassing its history, challenges, and the diversity of life it includes. Hands-on learning with plants and land empowers people to develop relationships of reciprocity and contribute to the care of this land, to recognize that they are part of it, and to take these lessons with them. We recognize that decolonization, antiracism, and environmental justice are deeply needed in the fields of botany, ecology, and land care, and commit to continued learning and change.

*Thanks to the Native American & Indigenous Students Association who worked with college leaders to develop this statement and actionable steps toward Indigenous rights advocacy.