On this Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we recognize that our presence here today is the result of the on-going exclusions and erasure of Indigenous peoples, who were the original stewards of the land. The Sigma Phi Epsilon – Iowa Delta chapter house sits on traditional, ancestral, unceded land of the Báxoǰe (Bah Kho-je) or Ioway, Sauk (Sac), and Meskwaki (Fox) peoples. We offer our respect to their elders both past and present, as well as future generations.
As members of SigEp, we are dedicated to a path of continuous development and growth. Continually educating ourselves and raising awareness around issues related to social justice allows us to take informed actions to combat these historic injustices. We challenge ourselves to unlearn the lessons that have been engraved in us throughout our lives and to continue to battle these systems of oppression and white supremacy.
Through this process of relearning history, we hope it can be an opening to a greater public consciousness of Native sovereignty and cultural rights, and a step toward equitable relationships and reconciliation.