At NCEMCH, we acknowledge that Washington DC is the traditional homeland of the Anacostan and Piscataway. We derive the name of our Anacostia River that runs through the district from these people who were driven out over four centuries ago. We remember that this land had been stewarded and respected for generations by these sovereign nations. We also recognize the many legacies of violence, displacement, migration, and settlement that have brought us together here today. We pay our respects to their elders, past and present, and extend our gratitude for their contributions to the land we now call Washington, DC.
We acknowledge that DC has a long history of inclusion and prejudice. It has been said – and is true – that Black slaves, who were forcefully ripped from their homelands and cultures, participated in every stage of building the people’s White House and so much of this city, along with poverty-stricken, European wage earners, Asian day laborers, and indentured servants from many cultures.
We here at Georgetown University are committed to building and maintaining just relationships with the peoples who have been displaced and harmed by the school, including those who first walked this land, the descendants of those enslaved by Georgetown founders, and local, racialized communities. At NCEMCH we try to learn from history – and the stories of so many waves of people who have made DC their home – to focus the work we do in service of children, mothers, families, and communities.