It is important to acknowledge that Essex County – some of the areas in which we work and strive to contribute is the traditional and ancestral territory of the Massachusett, Pawtucket, and Naumkeag peoples. We honor their enduring connection to this land and pay our respects to their elders, past, present, and future, and celebrate that despite colonization, displacement, and dispossession, their descendants are alive and well and continue to pave a path for future generations.  

We also recognize and honor the labor of those who have built and continue to build this community—many of whom have been marginalized or overlooked. We remember that our country is built on the labor of enslaved people who were kidnapped and brought to the U.S. from the African continent and recognize the continued contribution of their survivors. We also acknowledge all immigrant labor, including voluntary, involuntary, trafficked, forced, and undocumented peoples who contributed to the building of the country and continue to serve within our labor force. We acknowledge all unpaid care-giving labor. From the hands that constructed this community to the artists whose work fills this space, we acknowledge the contributions of all workers, past and present, whose efforts have made this gathering possible. This extraction continues to this day, with other oppressed and marginalized peoples, and part of our work together is to combat these systems of oppression so that we can move towards a more just world for all.

This land acknowledgement was inspired by the Essex County Community Foundation’s Racial Equity Committee of which our CEO, Felicia Pierce is a member.