Letter to the Editor: Acknowledge and support the Duwamish Tribe

To the Editor:

There are so many opportunities to participate these days. I invite members of our Shoreline / Lake Forest Park Community to join in on this one.

Just recently, our family heard of “Real Rent Duwamish, https://www.duwamishtribe.org/donate This is an opportunity to acknowledge and support the Duwamish Tribe.

You may have heard these words, at meetings, in church, or at other community events “I would like to acknowledge that we are on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People past and present and honor with gratitude the land itself and the Duwamish Tribe.” These are the words that are being spoken to raise awareness and to honor the Point Elliot Treaty of 1855, which has yet to be acknowledged, from my understanding, by our Federal Government, or us.

This is an opportunity for us to make amends for our history both past and present.

We can do this by: making a monthly or annual contribution, by stating the above words at community meetings and events, by reaching out to our city councils and requesting that these words, “I would like to acknowledge that we are on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People past and present and honor with gratitude the land itself and the Duwamish Tribe” are said at every city council and department meeting, and have our city’s budget include a contribution to “Real Rent Duwamish” as our whole city’s way of acknowledging and honoring our privilege to live, play, work, and build community here.

Thank you for all that you are doing to make our world beautiful. I wish you all wellness and safety.

Meghan Peterka
Shoreline