Land Acknowledgment

Mystic Rose Medicine humbly acknowledges the sacred ancestral land of our local community, honoring the many tribes & villages who have resided here for generations. The land we occupy has been unjustly taken from these communities. These tribes include the Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Chinook, Multnomah, Tualatin, Kalapuya, Molalla, & many others who dwell along the Columbia & Willamette Rivers. My heart overflows with gratitude & appreciation for those who have lovingly cared for this land, & I give thanks for their enduring resilience.

Below, you will find links to various ways of supporting communities that have been historically marginalized. This message is vital. We live in a society woven with systemic privilege & bias against those in marginalized communities. Mystic Rose Medicine stands unwaveringly with & for human rights, inclusivity & equality.

Support for indigenous women & girls

To truly support Indigenous women & girls, we must first open our hearts & minds to their experiences. It is vital that we raise awareness, educate ourselves deeply, & extend our hands in support. Since the time of colonization, Indigenous women & girls in North America have faced overwhelming rates of violence, murder, abduction, & trafficking. The weight of historical policies & actions has systematically oppressed Indigenous peoples, leading to limited economic opportunities, inadequate education, & poor living conditions.

The echoes of unresolved trauma & poverty have reverberated through generations, creating an environment where Indigenous women & girls remain vulnerable to harm. Compounding these struggles are systemic barriers such as police inaction, lack of resources, & a fragmented response from different levels of government, which impede meaningful protection & action.

At the level of the individual, we each have a sacred role to play. We must educate ourselves about the challenges faced by Indigenous communities, raise awareness, challenge ingrained stereotypes, & advocate for transformative change. Supporting Indigenous women & girls is not just a matter of justice; it is our collective responsibility to weave a society that honors the rights & dignity of all its members.

LGBTQ+

In a society filled with bigotry, patriarchy, & white supremacy, the systemic discrimination that unfolds within these regimes are fatal to us all. Marginalized communities are denied access to health care, employment, housing, & public accommodations. Now is the time to advocate & be a part of the change we so desperately need. If you are not part of the LGBTQ+ community & are looking to learn more about how you can support those who are, I encourage you to learn about LGBTQ+ history. Trust me, there’s a lot to here that can support future change.

“No matter how big a nation is, it is no stronger than its weakest people, & as long as you keep a person down, some part of you has to be down there to hold him down, so it means you cannot soar as you might otherwise.”

— Marian Anderson

Black Lives Matter

It’s time to rise & nurture cultural intelligence, equality, inclusion, diversity, & acceptance. We, white people, are being called to stand up for systemic change & assist in the Black Lives Matter Movement. Each of us has a role to play as we contribute to eradicating racial injustice & build a better society. This change happens when we intentionally alter how we consume goods, who we vote for in the office, & the discussions we have with our loved ones. White folks are being asked to acknowledge the discrimination that deprives people of color of the same rights as those with privilege & to use our privilege to advocate against that discrimination; value people from all walks of life, regardless of gender, cultural background, or economic status. I’m here to ask you to share this message & cultivate intentional change in the way you see our society & the world as a whole. All of our cumulative efforts add up, & these powerful actions will make a better world for generations to come.

Resources for white folks who want to support change

Ted Talks
Reading Materials
Activism

  • The Action PAC - This resource connects you to ways in which you can take action & support POC by signing petitions, making donations, & contacting local & federal officials.

  • The American Civil Liberties Union - ACLU has been fighting for civil liberties since 1920. They defend & preserve the individual rights & liberties guaranteed to every person in the United States. It’s a great resource to keep up to date with current legislation & policies that affect marginalized communities as well as donate to their cause.

  • Black Lives Matter - This page lays out educational resources, current petitions, & ways that you can contribute to systemic change in our country.

  • BU Center For Antiracist Research - The Boston University Center for Antiracist Research displays research & education across multiple disciplines to change the way society looks at racism as a whole.

Community values & intention

As we gather in this shared space of growth, healing, & connection, I invite each of you to reflect on the following values, and agree to respect them as the guidelines for creating safe space within group workshops, classes & events:

  • We commit to actively listening and continually learning about the lived experiences of our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) community members. We acknowledge the historical and ongoing challenges they face and seek to deepen our understanding with humility and respect.

  • We commit to practicing mindfulness and self-reflection around our biases and stereotypes. We understand that while our intentions may be good, the impact of our actions can still cause harm. We hold ourselves accountable for ensuring that our actions are aligned with care and respect, minimizing harm to those around us.

  • We take personal responsibility for the work required to dismantle the internalized patterns of white body supremacy within ourselves. We recognize that it is not the role of our BIPOC community members to educate us on these issues or to expend their energy helping us process the emotions that arise from this work. This is our work to do.

  • We acknowledge the privileges that come with being a white-bodied person in a culture that has systemically harmed BIPOC communities. We challenge ourselves to disrupt these norms by unlearning harmful beliefs and patterns and being open and curious about new beliefs, behaviors, and ways of thinking that include care and compassion for everybody. This is an ongoing process of change, one that requires us to continuously evolve and grow.

  • We celebrate the rich diversity within the LGBTQ+ community, understanding that inclusion goes beyond mere tolerance. We actively seek to uplift LGBTQ+ voices and experiences, creating a culture of celebration and respect for all forms of love and identity.

  • We recognize that LGBTQ+ identities intersect with other aspects of identity, including race, ethnicity, disability, and socioeconomic status. We commit to understanding and addressing the unique challenges that arise at these intersections, ensuring that our advocacy and support are holistic and inclusive.

  • We honor and affirm the diverse identities and expressions of all participants, recognizing that each person’s journey is unique. We commit to using inclusive language and respecting everyone’s chosen name, pronouns, and gender expression as an essential part of their identity.

Nurturing change together

A portion of all proceeds is donated to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) & to WILD. As humans living on this earth, we must contribute our efforts collectively to see the change we desire. I’m grateful for all those who choose to work with me, as we support the collapse of systemic discrimination & the fight against climate change. This is to ensure that more folks have access to holistic care no matter their race, ethnicity, sexual preference, gender identity, nationality, class, religious belief, or age; I offer sliding scale to ease financial stressors & barriers.