At Friends of the Children – Twin Cities, we acknowledge that Minneapolis and St. Paul are situated on the traditional and ancestral lands, known as Mni Sota Makoce (Land where the Waters Reflect the Sky), of the Dakota people, specifically the Mdewakanton, Wahpeton, Sisseton, and Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (People of Seven Council Fires, also known as the Sioux Nation) tribes. We recognize the ongoing history of forced displacement and genocide against Indigenous peoples on this land, including the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 and the subsequent forced removal of the Dakota people from their homeland. We also acknowledge the contributions of the Anishinaabe people to this region, specifically the Ojibwe, who continue to maintain cultural practices and knowledge despite the ongoing impacts of colonization. We honor and give thanks to these Indigenous nations who have stewarded this land for generations and continue to defend it in the face of ongoing challenges. The following links below are resources for becoming better educated on the deep history of the indigenous communities here in Minnesota, as well as links to ways to support the Native communities as an ally: We Are Still Here – MinnesotaBe a MythBusterIndigenous Ally Toolkit