Values and Partners
Land Acknowledgment
We acknowledge that the Center for Spirituality, Dialogue, and Service is located on the original homeland of the Pawtucket people and the Mashpee Wampanoag, Aquinnah Wampanoag, Nipmuc, and Massachusett tribal nations. We acknowledge the painful history of genocide and forced removal from this territory, and we honor and respect the many diverse Indigenous peoples still connected to this land on which we gather.
To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory we reside on, and a way of honoring the Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial. It is important to understand the long-standing history that has brought us to reside on the land, and to seek to understand our place within that history. Land acknowledgments do not exist in a past tense, or historical context: colonialism is a current ongoing process, and we need to build our mindfulness of our present participation.
CSDS also acknowledges the historic African American neighborhoods of Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mission Hill that surround our offices, and as neighbors we affirm unequivocally that Black Lives Matter.
For more information, we invite you to take a look at this excellent resource from the library at neighboring Wentworth Institute of Technology, from which our land acknowledgment was adapted. The resources on this page will also be helpful for learners across Northeastern’s global campus network to research the land on which you reside.
LGBTQIA+ Support, Solidarity, Resources, and Opportunities
In light of the current political climate in the United States and many other nations – and the ongoing struggle to secure and defend civil and human rights for all – CSDS honors and affirms the identities of all LGBTQIA+ individuals. We pledge that our physical and virtual office spaces will always be a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community. As educators and people of faith and conscience, we decry all discriminatory, life-threatening, and demeaning policies and practices, and recognize the historic (mis)use of religious teachings to promote exclusion and deny the fundamental dignity, value and belovedness of all human persons. Mistreatment of any member of the Northeastern community will not be tolerated, and CSDS will work with campus partners to support anyone who experiences harassment or discrimination on the basis of any category protected by law and university policy.
We unequivocally affirm our unwavering support of LGBTQIA+ people, now more than ever. At the Center for Spirituality, Dialogue, and Service, know you are seen and supported, as we unite in the ongoing struggle to secure equity, equality, safety, and security for all our beloved siblings. Sending peace, love and kindness to all!
Read the full letter (with links to resources) in CSDS E-News, June 7, 2023
Partners
CSDS partners with a wide range of departments, centers, and organizations inside of and outside of Northeastern. This is a small selection of our partners to look to for additional resources: