Wayfarer Foundation lives and works in Wilmette, IL on unceded land that’s home, most recently, to the Council of Three Fires, the Bodéwadmik (Potawatomi), Anishinaabeg (Ojibwe), and Odawak (Odawa). We also acknowledge the more than 1,100 Native Nations who live on this continent and have done so since time immemorial.

Rooted in Bahá’í principles, we honor the long traditions of land stewardship and spirituality that infuse every aspect of Indigenous cultures and the destiny described in the Bahá’í sacred texts that Native peoples will “enlighten the whole world.” In particular, as a philanthropic organization, we honor the long traditions of land stewardship and generosity that have existed on this land for millennia through such practices as giveaways and potlatch ceremonies, an approach to giving that is embodied in the Lakota word wacantognaka, meaning to give freely for the wellbeing of one’s people. 

Wayfarer Land Acknowledgement Commitments:

We seek to not only acknowledge our Native relatives but to take action in the following ways. The Wayfarer Foundation shares the following commitments:

• To aspire to be a good relative — 
  We recognize that everything and everyone is connected by spiritual, natural, and social relationships; effective philanthropy acknowledges and respects those relationships.
  

• To respect the sovereignty of multinational Indigenous nations — 
  We seek to disrupt the patterns of colonialism, injustice, extraction, and exploitation that have characterized much of both US and philanthropic history by collaboratively sharing information and data with permission and consent from our partners.
  

• To directly support Native-led nonprofits — 
  Recognizing that less than four cents of every $10 of philanthropic SUPPORT goes to Native-led organizations, justice and equity requires that we address this imbalance.
  

• To amplify the voices of Native partners and peoples — 
  Rather than speak for our partners, whenever possible we seek to co-create spaces where their voices can be heard.
  

• To honor the diversity that exists among Native peoples —
  We commit to co-creating Indigenized spaces that recognize and respect the cultures of our partners in our gatherings.