Mirror Stage acknowledges that we live, work, play, and learn on stolen and unceded homeland, within the context of broken treaties and unresolved harms to indigenous peoples. Here in Seattle, we are on the land of the Duwamish people, and of the Coast Salish – The Stillaguamish, The Duwamish, the Muckleshoot, and the Suquamish – who have made and continue to make their homes around the magnificent Salish Sea, in the shadow of the great mountain, Tahoma.
We also recognize that we reside in a nation and a state of great wealth. A nation with wealth created by the subjugation and exploitation of African peoples, brought to this land through chattel slavery. A state with wealth that stands indebted to exploited Chinese immigrants who built the railroads, to Japanese Americans whose livelihoods were stolen in the internment camps of World War II, and to immigrant and migrant workers who – to this day – labor in the rich fields and farms across our prosperous state.
We honor and uplift the original indigenous stewards of this land, the forced contributions from generations of Africans, and the exploited labor of immigrants and migrant workers yesterday and today. In acknowledging this stolen land and stolen labor, we recognize that the impact of these wrongs reverberates – and in many cases is still being perpetrated – into our present day.
Real Rent Duwamish calls on people who live and work in Seattle to make rent payments to the Duwamish Tribe. Though the city named for the Duwamish leader Chief Seattle thrives, The Tribe has yet to be justly compensated for their land, resources, and livelihood.
You can do something today to stand in solidarity with First Peoples of this land by paying Real Rent. All funds go directly to Duwamish Tribal Services (DTS) to support the revival of Duwamish culture and the vitality of the Duwamish Tribe. For more information, go to: https://www.realrentduwamish.org/