Dear Klahanie School Community,
Our school name is a native people’s language for the meaning of “Enjoyment of the Outside world.” And Monday and this week we recognized Indienous People’s Day as a celebration of the Native populations that have lived on this continent since long before the European settlers.
We find it is important we respectfully recognize and appreciate that our lives and communities are built on land that historically belonged to the Coast Salish tribes. We operate and live on unceded territories of the eight Native American villages linked to the Puyallup River native communities of Duwamish and Snohomish peoples. We support the shift to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day as a call for openness to rethink the past that many of us were taught or not taught. Honoring the Native stewards of this land is critical for our growth as a school, organization and place in our community to help our youth know directions of equity practice and honoring people hurt for far too long.
This year and many more to come, we celebrate Indigineous People’s Day with the sad awareness that the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted Native Americans deeply as well as other people of color throughout our country. As a school community, we are committed to addressing systemic racism and inequality and providing high quality care for all.
We help care for the world together, we are proud to work beside you.
Respectfully,
Klahanie School Staff & Board
Klahanie School 