Land Acknowledgement

Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin acknowledges its work on the traditional homelands of Potawatomi, Menominee, Ho‑Chunk, and Ojibwe peoples. As an organization, we acknowledge that our privilege to work and exist on this land is only possible because of the United States government’s genocide and forced removal of first nations peoples.  

Prior to colonization, Indigenous peoples produced ample healthy food to feed their communities. By disrupting traditional lifeways and food production practices, the U.S. government cultivated reliance on food assistance programs. These programs replaced traditional, nutritious, and sustainably produced foods with commodity staples, resulting in well-documented and devastating impacts on the cultural, physical, and spiritual health of Indigenous communities. 

In the words of the Native Governance Center, existing today across Dakota and Anishinaabe lands, “Despite centuries of colonial theft and violence, this is still Indigenous land. It will always be Indigenous land.”  

Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin’s mission is to solve hunger, and we cannot do so without supporting work done by Indigenous centered organizations such as the Great Lakes Intertribal Food Coalition. This coalition connects indigenous farmers from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan to bring traditional and indigenously grown food to first nation elders. Our work seeks to disrupt the historical disenfranchisement of Indigenous people by providing resources for first nations to continue to grow their sustainable, abundant, and independent food systems.  

This acknowledgement is a reminder to everyone that colonization is an ongoing occurrence and requires ongoing dedication to repairing the damage we have done. As an organization, we support the Great Lakes Intertribal Food Coalition mission to heal our communities by strengthening our Indigenous food networks and commit to supporting the sovereignty of these nations one swath of land, one partnership, and one meal at a time.

Land is something sacred to all of us, whether we consciously appreciate it or not — it is the space upon which we play, live, eat, find love, and experience life. The land is ever-changing and ever-shifting, giving us — and other creatures and beings on the earth — an infinite number of gifts and lessons. To view an interactive global Native Land Map, click HERE.