land acknowledgement
While I work in various areas throughout Utah, much of my work takes place on the traditional lands of the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), Goshute, and Eastern Shoshone peoples. White settlers seized the lands colonially known as the Salt Lake and Utah Valleys through the unratified and unfulfilled Treaty of Spanish Fork in 1865, in exchange for basic needs and rights, under the direction of Brigham Young.
To learn some of the ways you can support members of these native peoples today (including land restoration and preservation), visit and/or donate to the following resources:
I also recognize the stolen lives of the enslaved Africans brought to Utah by early white settlers, and acknowledge that their subjugation and forced labor helped to establish the cities that exist in this area today.
To learn about direct action you can take for racial justice, visit and/or donate to the following resources:
These acknowledgments are only one step in anti-racist theater, film, and television. I strive to de-colonize my work through careful project selection, meaningful collaboration, ongoing conversation, and self education.