The WolfBrown team is spread out around indigenous lands of what many now call North America. WolfBrown's Audience Outlook Monitor program is supported by the office located in what are now known as Detroit, Michigan. We acknowledge that our workplaces are located on occupied land belonging to several indigenous groups. 

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Below, we share some of our current context, while at the same time recognizing that land acknowledgments are not enough, and that colonialism continues today.

• Our Detroit office operates on land known as Waawiiyaatanong, named by the Anishinaabe people, a confederacy also known as the Three Fires Council, made up of the Ojibwe (Keepers of Tradition), Odawa (Keepers of the Trade), and Potawatomi (Keepers of the Fire). Other tribes also lived in Michigan, such as the Wyandotte. In 1807, this land was colonized due to the Treaty of Detroit. Today, there are 12 federally recognized tribes within the state of Michigan. In Detroit, the North American Indian Association (N.A.I.A.) is active in organizing events and building community. We acknowledge their presence, affirm indigenous sovereignty, and honor the many communities that continue to thrive throughout the region of the Great Lakes. 

• We acknowledge that many of our WolfBrown colleagues work remotely and are working online and in other locations other than our primary offices. Regardless of our scattered locations, we find that land acknowledgements are a way for us to keep uppermost in mind the various forms of historical and current oppression that we and others perpetuate, as we work towards greater equity.

• We also acknowledge that our work as consultants is part of a larger system of oppression and that most of the clients we work with are located on occupied and unceded land belonging to several indigenous groups

 

We commit to:

• Partnering with indigenous organizations to provide free or low- cost research opportunities for indigenous communities through our Audience Outlook Monitor program and in other ways. If you represent an indigenous organization and are interested in partnering with us in this research, please email alan.kline@wolfbrown.com.

• Educating ourselves about the continuing contributions of indigenous artists to our sector.

• Supporting awareness and understanding of indigenous art in our research.

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The following websites are resources we found helpful and that might be useful to other people who might want to learn more about the land they are on. 

• The US Department of Arts and Culture gives advice about how to honor native land.

• Native Land provides an interactive map to learn about the land you occupy.

• The Four Directions Teachings project is an audio narrated resource to learn about indigenous knowledge and philosophy and includes Ojibwe teachings.

• Native Governance Center suggests ways to go beyond land acknowledgments and provides a guide to create a land acknowledgment.