FACRL would like to acknowledge and honor the indigenous communities upon which Florida and its colleges, universities, and institutions now sit. We recognize that our state has been built on the homelands and resources of the Calusa, Cuchiyaga, Miccosukee, Muscogee, Seminole, Taino, Tequesta, Timucua, and Tocobaga peoples. Thus, we acknowledge the heritage of these tribes as we honor the resilience of the nations indigenous to the state of Florida.   

We recognize the history of genocide and forced removal of indigenous people from their territory, and the painful legacy these acts have left upon our community and among the indigenous peoples still connected to this state. We honor and respect their continued relationship to the land, and we call upon our community to reflect upon the past and learn how to be better stewards of the soil and water upon which our state rests. Acknowledging our indigenous and native neighbors is only a small part of what we can do to honor them. We must amplify their voices in our collections, programs, and activities at work and in our lives. Indigenous and native peoples and communities do not only exist in the history of Florida; they exist in the present and will exist in the future of Florida as well. In this acknowledgment, we honor the memory and history of Florida’s indigenous communities as defenders and stewards of the land upon which we all now live, work, and play. 

For more information on Florida’s indigenous communities, please visit the following sites: