Land Acknowledgement & DEI
Land Acknowledgement
We respectfully acknowledge that the lands encompassing the Cascade-Siskiyou region are the ancestral homelands of the Takelma, Shasta, Athabaskan, and Klamath peoples. These tribes have lived in reciprocity with this land since time immemorial, stewarding its rich biodiversity and complex ecosystems.
This region bears the deep imprint of Indigenous history and culture. It was the site of significant conflict during the Rogue River Wars of the 1850s, after which many Indigenous peoples were forcibly removed to reservations such as Grand Ronde and Siletz. Despite these hardships, their descendants continue to maintain enduring connections to this land, preserving cultural practices and advocating for its protection.
We honor the resilience and ongoing contributions of these communities. As we engage with this landscape, we commit to recognizing its full history and supporting efforts that uphold Indigenous sovereignty and stewardship.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
At Weaving the Bear’s Web, diversity, equity, and inclusion begin with personal reflection—facing our fears, examining history, and staying curious about the world around us. We hire leaders with diverse backgrounds who are open-minded, culturally aware, and committed to learning from others.
We welcome students of all identities—across race, gender, size, ability, and neurodiversity—provided we can safely meet individual and group needs. Whenever possible, we adapt our programs to support access and belonging.
We also strive to make our programs financially accessible by offering scholarships, gear assistance, and trade options. Our goal is to create spaces where all students feel seen, supported, and empowered to connect with Earth and each other.
In Kinship With All Beings: A Living Commitment
We approach Earth as kin—a living, sentient being who nourishes, teaches, and holds us. Land is not a resource to be used, but a relative to be cared for. All beings—Plants, Animals, Trees, Fungi, Water, Wind, Insects, and all that is more than human—are part of this family and are treated with respect and kindness.
In our teachings, we model and invite ways of moving through the world with humility, curiosity, and gratitude. We encourage students, especially the youngest among us, to learn how to ask before taking, give thanks when receiving, and care for what they touch. These practices are guided gently, through story, observation, and experience, allowing a sense of reverence to take root in time.
Living with Earth means being in ongoing relationship: listening, tending, offering care, and honoring the lives around us. Whether gathering materials, following a trail, or sitting quietly beneath the trees, we recognize that we are always in conversation with Land—and aim to walk gently, with awareness and respect.
This way of being cultivates connection, care, and responsibility—for a future that honors Earth and all life.